De Bruyne set for imminent Man City return after being picked in Club World Cup squad

FIFA on Wednesday released the official 23-man squads for the tournament that starts December 12, and the presence of De Bruyne’s name stood out.

Whether De Bruyne will be fit enough to feature in Jeddah remains to be seen, though it might be an opportunity for him to return to first-team training at a warm-weather camp. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Kevin De Bruyne could be set for an imminent return after being picked in Manchester City’s squad for this month’s Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia.

FIFA on Wednesday released the official 23-man squads for the tournament that starts Dec. 12, and the presence of De Bruyne’s name stood out.

The 32-year-old Belgium playmaker has not featured for the English and European champions since undergoing hamstring surgery in August. He recently said his recovery was going well but he was not expecting to return to action until next year.

Whether De Bruyne will be fit enough to feature in Jeddah remains to be seen, though it might be an opportunity for him to return to first-team training at a warm-weather camp.

City, which is representing Europe as the Champions League winner, does not enter the Club World Cup until the semifinal stage. The team is scheduled to play on December 19 against the winner of the match between Club Leon of Mexico and Urawa Reds of Japan.

The final is on December 22.