Premier League
Kevin De Bruyne Not Leaving Manchester City – Says Guardiola
Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, has refuted the claims suggesting that his highly productive midfielder, Kevin de Bruyne, intends to depart from the Premier League club for the upcoming summer season.
It has been reported that earlier speculations indicated that the 33-year-old Belgian athlete was close to terminating his contract with Etihad and was considering moving to a Saudi Professional League team.
However, in a statement posted on his official Twitter account on Tuesday, renowned football transfer analyst Fabrizio Romano clarified that Kevin de Bruyne will not join a Saudi Professional League team this summer.
“No, Kevin is NOT leaving,” Pep says.
As previously elucidated, the matter of viral allegations has been duly addressed by Guardiola.
A report from the BBC suggested that De Bruyne is currently under considerable consideration for a transfer to Saudi Arabia, with a summer relocation being a potential option.
Given that his contract with the Blues expires in one year, De Bruyne stated last month that he would need to assess potential offers from the Saudi Pro League.
He mentioned the “incredible financial incentives” available as a significant factor in his decision-making process.
Nonetheless, Guardiola is comfortable with the circumstances.
“Kevin isn’t leaving,” Guardiola reassured reporters before the Blues’ inaugural pre-season match against Celtic in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Wednesday (00:30 BST).
De Bruyne played a crucial role in City’s triumph in the Premier League last season, securing the club’s fourth consecutive title and De Bruyne’s sixth overall during his tenure.
In addition, Ebereche Eze, a player from Crystal Palace’s team for the England Euro 2024 competition, has attracted attention from City.
In contrast, Ederson, the goalkeeper from Brazil, has also been targeted by Saudi Arabia.
Guardiola seems optimistic about maintaining a squad similar to the previous season.