For all Pep Guardiola’s sentimentality and praise of Kevin De Bruyne, he has revealed his ruthless side in the departure of Manchester City’s imperious playmaker from the club.
Guardiola has confirmed that along with his close friend and colleague, City’s outgoing sporting director Txiki Begiristain, he made the decision to bring the curtain down on De Bruyne’s illustrious spell at the Etihad.
De Bruyne has talked of the lure of the Saudi Pro League and has been linked with a move to San Diego in the MLS, but was apparently open to staying at City, even though it would have been in a reduced role.
But with his 34th birthday looming at the end of June, his influence on the pitch waning despite his high wages, Guardiola, took the cold-eyed decision that De Bruyne would play no part in his rebuild of a squad that has endured, by the club’s own high standards, such a poor season.
Asked if De Bruyne or the club has made the decision to call it time at the end of his contract in June, Guardiola said it was the latter.
“The decision has been made for the club, and the club is the club,” said the City manager. “Me, Txiki [Begiristain], and the club, so this is what it is. It was not easy for me to tell him it won’t continue.”
De Bruyne started only 20 games in all competitions last season and so far this term has made only 19 starts. Those figures seemed unlikely to improve had he extended his stay to an 11th campaign with Guardiola indicating that 751 career appearances for club and country has taken its toll on the Belgium international’s body.
He added: “The last year and a half he was out injured because he gave everything for the club. Everything he had in his body and his mind, he’s done it, so there’s no doubt about it.”
De Bruyne’s four goals and seven assists in all competitions this season is down on normal levels. His last goal came in the FA Cup against Championship side Plymouth and his last two Premier League assists came in the 6-0 win against relegation-threatened Ipswich in January.
He is one of the Premier League’s highest earners, understood to be paid £400,000 a week and with City intent on more signings this summer they were always unlikely to commit to extending that level of contract.
At the same time, Guardiola and City’s Abu Dhabi owners probably felt asking a player who has contributed so much to their success over the last decade to take a pay cut would be an insult.
Ilkay Gundogan left for Barcelona in the summer of 2023 when the City hierarchy refused to give in to his demands for a two-year contract – although the German midfielder has since returned to the club on a free transfer.
De Bruyne has not yet indicated where his future may lie, although it seems highly unlikely it will be in the Premier League out of respect to City.
Open to Saudi move
His representatives have spoken in the past with clubs from the Saudi Pro League and there is interest from new MLS club San Diego FC. Or he could move to a less-demanding league in Europe.
Last summer De Bruyne said he was “open” to moving to Saudi but with three children, all under 10, he may not regard a move there as right for his family at the moment.
Guardiola has admitted that it was a mistake to remain loyal to some of the older players in the squad after they made history by winning a fourth consecutive Premier League title last year.
Kyle Walker has already left on loan to AC Milan, De Bruyne will follow at the end of the season, when Gundogan is also out of contract, and Bernardo Silva will have only a year left on his deal.
There is also much debate about Jack Grealish’s future with the former Aston Villa player concerned about his lack of game-time denting his ambitions to play for England in the 2026 World Cup. It is certain that Kalvin Phillips will be moved on when he returns from his loan spell at Ipswich.
Guardiola admits it will be virtually impossible for to replace De Bruyne and says he has no one in his current squad with his qualities.
Phil Foden is the closest player City have to De Bruyne, but Guardiola feels they have different skillsets.
“They have played together over the last years many, many times but we don’t have that player in our squad with Kevin’s specific qualities,” he said. “We don’t have it. Phil has different attributes that are also difficult to find in our squad.
“The club has to move forward, move on, and replicating this kind of player is so difficult. But these are the qualities and things we have to find.”
De Bruyne will make his final Manchester derby appearance at Old Trafford on Sunday and Guardiola has sympathised with the troubles of his United counterpart, Ruben Amorim.
Amorim has lost 11 of his 29 games since arriving from Sporting Lisbon in November and Guardiola says he needs more time.
“Always I wish this for the manager who is in charge, but it depends on Manchester United,” the Spaniard said.
“But, of course, every manager needs time, that is obvious. But in this world, you don’t get much and at the big clubs, you have to win and if you don’t win, you can be in trouble.
“It’s not easy, you arrive in the middle of the season, you want to change the way you play, so it’s not easy for anyone.
“What’s going to happen at United? I’m sorry but I don’t know.”
Amorim has won his last two games against Guardiola this season, with Sporting in the Champions League and United in the Premier League in December when they stole a last-gasp victory with two late goals.
Guardiola said: “I forget the good moments and the bad moments quick. When we played against them, we were not at our best. The way we lost was so disappointing in the last minutes.”
