Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne has said he is “open to everything” as he discussed the possibility of a move to Saudi Arabia.

The Belgian playmaker, 32, has one year left on his contract at City where he has won six Premier League titles and the Champions League since joining in 2015.

De Bruyne said the “incredible” contracts on offer in the Saudi Pro League could be appealing towards the end of his career, and explained he had discussed his future with his wife.

“For Michele, an exotic adventure is OK. These are also conversations that we are increasingly having as a family,” De Bruyne  said

“I still have one year of contract, so I have to think about what can happen.

“My eldest [child] is now eight years old and knows nothing but England. He also asks how long I will play at City. Once the time comes, we will have to deal with it in a certain way.

“At my age, you have to be open to everything. You talk about unbelievable amounts in what may be the end of my career. Sometimes you have to think about that.”

De Bruyne said that should he spend two years in Saudi Arabia, he would be “able to earn an incredible amount of money”.

The Belgium captain, who is preparing for Euro 2024, missed almost five months of last season because of injury as City won their fourth consecutive league title, playing just 26 games in all competitions.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic pulled out of the French Open ahead of his quarter-final due to a knee injury sustained in his marathon fourth-round win over Francisco Cerundolo, organisers said on Tuesday.

The withdrawal ended the Serb’s quest for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam trophy and will result in him losing the world number one ranking to Italian Jannik Sinner later this month.

“Due to a torn medial meniscus in his right knee (discovered during an MRI scan), Djokovic, who was supposed to play Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals tomorrow, has been forced to withdraw from the Roland Garros tournament,” organisers said.

Last year’s runner-up Ruud will advance to the semi-finals on Wednesday.

Monday’s marathon match was the second straight clash in which Djokovic was taken to five sets after his epic against Lorenzo Musetti.

The Serb said he had been carrying an injury for a couple of weeks and that the problem flared up when he slipped during his match against Cerundolo.

 Joel Ajayi Only two clubs from the country’s elite division can reach the semi-finals of this year’s President Federation Cup competition, with two of the surviving trio, Sunshine Stars and Kano Pillars, going headlong against each other in one of the quarter-final duels scheduled for the Federal Capital, Abuja on Wednesday. 

The venue to be is Area 3 Stadium, where one of the NPFL teams must bite the dust, paving way for the other to progress to the last four. 

The other NPFL side, Abia Warriors, are up against giant-killers Sokoto United at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project field inside the MKO Abiola National Stadium Complex. Sokoto United eliminated two-time CAF Champions League winners Enyimba FC in the Round of 16. 

El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri will confront surprise packets Inter Lagos at the FCT-Bwari ground, while two surprise qualifiers, EFFC FC and Kebbi United tango at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano.  

MEN’S QUARTER-FINAL FIXTURES EFCC FC (FCT) Vs Kebbi United (Kebbi) – Kano – 05/06/24 – 4pmEl-Kanemi Warriors (Borno) Vs Inter Lagos (Lagos) – FCT-Bwari – 05/06/24 – 4pmAbia Warriors (Abia) Vs Sokoto United (Sokoto) – FCT-Goal Project – 05/06/24 – 4pmSunshine Stars (Ondo) Vs Kano Pillars (Kano) – FCT-Area 3 – 05/06/24 – 4pm  

Joel Ajayi

The atmosphere around the camp of African vice champions Nigeria has livened up even more as five players who were initially stranded in two different parts of the country as a result of the nationwide strike were ferried into Uyo on Tuesday morning. 

Defenders Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Calvin Bassey, alongside midfielder Frank Onyeka and forward Paul Onuachu landed at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo just after noon aboard a private jet arranged by the Nigeria Football Federation, and were driven to the team’s Ibom Hotel and Resorts to meet up with team mates in time for lunch. 

The arrival of the quintet brought the tally of players in camp to 20, three days to the Day 3 qualifying battle with the Bafana Bafana at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in the Akwa Ibom capital. Nigeria and South Africa go toe-to-toe in a rematch of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations first semi-final, which the Super Eagles trumped 4-2 after penalty shootout at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake. 

Three-time African champions Nigeria, who have reached the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup on three occasions, missed out on the last houseparty in Qatar, and after a sluggish start to the qualifiers, need all three points on offer to be in strong contention for the only ticket from Group C as the campaign drags on. 

Rwanda are surprise leaders of the pool after two matchdays, on four points, with South Africa on three and Nigeria on two.

The 10-match series will end in October next year, with winners of the nine groups qualifying automatically for the finals in Canada, USA and Mexico.

The best four second-placed teams in all nine groups will contest a CAF Play-off Tournament, with the winner going ahead to contest a FIFA Play-off Tournament for another slot.