Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, PA Media

Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has been left with a simple choice that pits two very different options against each other.

One choice is Chicago Fire, who have offered him a competitive package. That route offers chance to be their flagship talent and at a time when the Club World Cup and World Cup are coming to the United States.

Owner Joe Mansueto has personally pitched to the Belgium international and is keen to offer the move to Major League Soccer (MLS) as a bridge to mentoring him for an entrepreneurial post-playing career in the business world.

Chicago Fire have taken Inter Miami's option to sign him on a 'discovery list', meaning no other US club can sign him without paying a fee to the Illinois club.

When De Bruyne made his farewell speech at City on Tuesday, he said his wife and sons will be considered as part of his decision-making and Chicago is seen as an attractive offer in of lifestyle.

That is a reason why a move to Saudi Arabia is not being explored.

On the flipside, title-chasing Serie A side Napoli are the strongest option in Europe, more so than any English club at this stage.

Managed by former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Antonio Conte, Napoli present the best option to challenge for titles and continue playing in the Champions League, but Naples is known to be an intense environment both on and off the field.

It is a difficult choice as De Bruyne still considers capable of performing at the highest level, which is why privately there is disappointment that Manchester City never offered him a contract extension.

De Bruyne says his kids are "Manc" and described the City as "home" in his farewell speech, but that option was never on the table.

He will make his final decision after the Premier League season with City ends on Sunday so there is time for new suitors to offer him a contract.

However, time is also running out for them to enter the fray.

Freddie Pye
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Qualification for the premier club competition in European football is unfortunately the bare minimum for the modern Manchester City side, a reflection of the sensational standards set by Pep Guardiola since his arrival in 2016.

That is not of course to undermine the achievement of qualifying via a top-five finish this season.

And yes, it would be an achievement for this City squad. Given all the struggles through fitness and injury blows scattered across the side at crucial points of this season, making it into the Champions League would be a remarkable feat when all is considered.

But how would it feel to miss out? From a pure fans' perspective, you have only to reminisce on that night in Istanbul, when history was made, our wildest dreams came true, and the most memorable evening in the club's history played out in front of our very eyes at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium - that is what we would be missing out on.

Experiencing that one more time is the ultimate drive behind getting back into the competition to do it all over again from next season.

Then you consider the financial impact on the club, the effect on g the next iteration of legends, missing out on special nights at a revamped and expanded Etihad Stadium… You could go on and on.

It all comes down to Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon. A chance to continue to build a club that Kevin de Bruyne played an integral role in taking to the very summit of European football.

There is no bigger motivation than to do as the captain would want to himself - to compete on the highest stage, taking on the very best to prove we are the very best.

One last shot at saving our season, to set up the future, and perhaps create more history once again.

That's the message.

Clear as day.

Find more from Freddie Pye at City Xtra, external

Image source, Getty Images

Each team in the race for the top five will have to keep an eye on other results, but deep down, you just want to be able to focus on your own business.

You want to be able to win your game out on the pitch, but the nature of the matches are really different. You have the head-to-head between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea. Then you have the likes of Manchester City playing away, Aston Villa playing away, you have got Newcastle playing at home against Everton, and when you are at home you are always going to be tough to play. So it is going to be a really, really nervous phase for all those teams involved.

How do I see it playing out? I am not sure I could tell you right now which way it is going to go. It just comes down to moments, and that is really cliche but a one-off game is almost like a final. As it stands, to go into the weekend knowing that you have a real chance, the fans of all the teams will be nervous, but you are one win away from being there.

As a player on the pitch, you absolutely get a sense of what is going on elsewhere, especially if you are at home.

You know what is happening, but then how does that affect your game? You could be losing, you could be up against it at one point, but then other teams start losing or drawing and you are back in the qualifying spots. How do you manage the next moments? How do you manage the last 10 to 15 minutes of the game when a result is one way or the other? Teams can score multiple goals in the blink of an eye, and desperation is one of the real causes for that. All of a sudden, when the kitchen sink is being thrown at people, anything is possible.

As a player, it can be really exciting. You want things to be going your way, but it is very hard to only focus on your game when other things matter at the same time. There is a double level of anxiety because you can control one thing but you cannot control the other, so you can't ever be comfortable.

From the outside, it is an exciting situation, but from the inside, you just hope that you are winning your game of football so you can just take all that out of it.

The 'as it stands' type days, they are some of the best days in football.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

The race for the three remaining Champions League qualification spots in the Premier League is going right down to the wire.

With one round of fixtures remaining, just three points separate Manchester City in third and Nottingham Forest in seventh.

With five teams vying for three positions, it leaves some clubs with their fate in their own hands, while others will be relying on favours to secure their place.

Newcastle United and Chelsea know that wins will guarantee them spots in Europe's elite competition in 2025-26.

And, with a two points and a 17-goal cushion, just a point but would all but guarantee City a place.

Nottingham Forest, who have spent much of the season occupying one of those top five spots, will need to beat Chelsea and hope for a slip up from teams above them, while Aston Villa will also be hoping for a bit of help from elsewhere.

It is set to be an anxious Sunday for those watching in the stadium and elsewhere.

But where do you think all five teams will finish?

Make your selection here

Napoli and Chicago Fire are leading the race to sign 33-year-old Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, who will leave Manchester City as a free agent this summer. (Talksport, external)

Manchester City midfielder James McAtee is a target for Bayer Leverkusen, while the 22-year-old Englishman is also being monitored by a number of Premier League clubs. (Sky , external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Freddie Pye
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

We asked our Manchester City fan contributor for their four candidates for player of the season and you can now select your top one.

Josko Gvardiol

Starring in a position that has been problematic for Manchester City for many seasons, Gvardiol has been crucial defensively and offensively. The only player not to succumb to successive fitness problems, offering versatility in the centre of defence when required. A star for the present and future, an ever-dependable rock at the back.

Mateo Kovacic

Came under plenty of criticism when handed the impossible task of replacing Rodri, but grew into the role alongside a defensive midfield partner, providing necessary legs and energy to keep an ageing City side alive. A transitional mastermind, carrying the team forward and popping up with goals at vital moments during the run-in.

Jeremy Doku

Nicknamed 'The Finisher' within the club and ers, Doku has exemplified the future of Pep Guardiola's side. Direct, unstoppable, lightning-quick - and now with an eye for a final and shot - the Belgian is coming into a world of his own. When needing the spark to close out a game, run at tired legs, add dynamism to stale and slow processes, the 22-year-old brings all of that in abundance.

Erling Haaland

We have said it time and time again since his arrival in 2022, but where on earth would Manchester City be without Haaland this season?! 34 goal contributions to his name in a season that has also seen him miss several weeks through injury, more than double the next highest provider. A supposedly underperforming Haaland this season, a man battling his own exceptional standards in front of goal.

Honourable mentions

There are a few to note, unfortunately those who cannot be considered having largely not featured for the duration of the entire campaign, or perhaps don't stack up against the likes of those listed above above.

Ederson has come on leaps and bounds in his own game this season, improving his shot-stopping and offering magic moments with his ball distribution that is largely unrivalled within the game. Ruben Dias' excellence and importance has also shone through in our defensive vulnerability at times when he has not played. James McAtee, Nico O'Reilly and Matheus Nunes have also been important in their own right, and Omar Marmoush was exactly the sort of player we were crying out for in the January transfer market.

Pick your 2024-25 City player of the season from our shortlist here

And tell us why you're picking who you are, or why you'd have gone for another player not on the list, here

Find more from Freddie Pye at City Xtra, external