Pep Guardiola claims it will be “impossible” to replace Kevin De Bruyne after he claimed he could still play for Manchester City. The Belgian playmaker’s career at the Etihad Stadium is ticking down.
He has just one appearance on home soil left ahead of his official exit at the end of his contract. And it appears that he is determined to go out on a high after scoring the winning goal against Wolves on Friday evening.
Speaking after that game, De Bruyne claimed he still feels capable of performing for City. He said: “I know that I only have one home game left but I just try to to my job and that’s what I did today.
“A lot of teammates have said that it’s sad I have to go too but that’s just how it goes sometimes in life. I don’t know what the future will be, but I know that I can still play here.”
That question was put to Guardiola – and he refused to commit whether De Bruyne could remain. Instead, he focused on how hard of a task it would be to find a successor.
“I’m sure it’s not easy for him but his contribution has been massive, important,” the Man City boss said. “He doesn’t have to prove anything, I know his quality and his level. That’s all.”
He added: “I want the best for Kevin so it cannot be possible to have done these many years without him. He has been an incredible player but the situation is what it is.
“It’s almost impossible to replace this kind of player. It is not just the performance, it is what he means to the heart for our fans for many, many years. The success we have belongs to the players.”
De Bruyne’s latest comments come after he had claimed last month that he would not be adverse to move to another Premier League club. Asked if he could stay in the UK, De Bruyne replied: “I’m open for anything.
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“I have to look at the whole picture. I’m looking at sportive, family, everything together, what makes the most sense for me and my family. I don’t know what that is, because it depends on when you speak to people and what they say about projects or something.
“Like I said, I still feel like I can play at a good level, but then after I’ll have to make a decision once I really know a little bit more.”
De Bruyne has already been linked with a host of clubs ahead of his Man City exit. MLS side Chicago Fire appear to be the frontrunners for his services, while Aston Villa have also been credited with an interest.
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