Pep Guardiola speaks on Kevin De Bruyne's future at Manchester City amid exit rumors

Modified Mar 28, 2025 15:43 GMT

Real Madrid C.F. v Manchester City - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg - Source: Getty

Manchester City's manager, Pep Guardiola, has revealed that Kevin De Bruyne's contract situation is between the Belgian, his camp, and the club. He added that his focus is to end the 2024-25 season with City on a decent note after a challenging campaign.

In a press conference ahead of their FA Cup clash against Bournemouth, Guardiola spoke about De Bruyne's contract situation. He said (via Tribal Football):

"It is between the club and Kevin and his agent. It is between the club and Kevin. In the position that I am in, we are just concerned about the team and finishing the season in the best position possible. We have to think about the best thing for the club with the FA Cup, the Premier League and the Club World Cup."

De Bruyne has played a crucial role in ensuring that City win trophies in recent years. He's also one of the masterminds behind City's creativity and goal-scoring proficiency.

However, his contract at the Etihad expires in the summer and there has been little or no progress regarding a fresh contract. This has raised speculations regarding his future at Manchester City.

Some reports have linked De Bruyne with a potential move to Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League. Other reports have claimed that City have already identified Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz as his possible replacement.

With time running out, it remains to be seen if City will make a last-minute contract offer to De Bruyne.

How has Kevin De Bruyne performed for Manchester City this season?

Ukraine v Belgium - UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League A/B Play-offs First Leg - Source: Getty

While rumors surrounding his future at City have grown, De Bruyne has remained a pivotal player for Pep Guardiola. The Belgian attacking midfielder has also been decent despite City's struggles across several competitions this season.

In 30 games, De Bruyne has managed to register 11 goal contributions for City (four goals and seven assists). His arguably unconvincing attacking numbers could also be attributed to his fitness situation this season.

However, if he decides to leave Manchester City at the end of the season, he will go down as one of their most iconic midfielders. In 412 games, Kevin De Bruyne has scored 106 and bagged 174 assists among winning other significant trophies for Manchester City.

About the author

Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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Edited by Ankush Das