Pep Guardiola has admitted that Kevin De Bruyne may not want to stay at Manchester City next season if he cannot perform at his best.
De Bruyne’s contract is set to expire in July, and the 33-year-old has been a pivotal figure in City’s success since joining from Wolfsburg for £55million in 2015.
However, injuries have hampered his current campaign, with his last start coming in the Champions League final against Inter Milan in mid-September.
Pep Guardiola acknowledged that De Bruyne has struggled to regain peak form and hinted that his role at the club could diminish next season if he decides to stay.
“I don’t know,” said Pep Guardiola.
“Kevin, I’m pretty sure, will be honest. He will want to finish here after this season or the next one, or the next one, at his best.
“I don’t think he will be here when he believes he doesn’t feel he can be the Kevin that can produce and help the team like he has done in the last decade. I’m pretty sure of that.
“In these kind of situations, like David Silva was, he will decide the best for him and the team because I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want to be in the position that cannot be – I’m not saying playing every three days for 11 months – but when he performs he has to play as the best Kevin as possible, and unfortunately with the injuries he could not deliver.”
Kevin De Bruyne has revealed that an abdominal issue has plagued him for the past two months, leaving him in so much pain that he couldn’t even kick a ball. However, he felt some relief after his substitute appearance against Tottenham on Saturday and remains uncertain about his future plans this summer.
The Belgian midfielder held initial contract talks with Manchester City earlier this year but has decided to put them on hold until he fully recovers.
“Honestly, I don’t know,” he said.
“Obviously when I started the season, I knew things would happen and talks would happen.
“But then I unfortunately had that thing against Brentford. So I’ve put basically everything to the side.
“I was hoping to be out for a couple of days and it ended up being eight or nine weeks. So also for the moment I’d rather still get better first and then see how I am and the rest will come.
“I’m not really too obsessed with things right now. I know people will ask me questions about this, but there’s not a lot I can say. There haven’t been a lot of talks, so I’m fine, I’m happy.
“I just want to play good football again and the future we’ll see.
“Questions will come, but I can only give you the answers that I’m giving you right now because there’s nothing really more to talk about. Talks will come. If no talks come, then it’s my last year.
“So I don’t know. I’m trying to be honest and people can say or write about it.
“I can’t affect that. I just want to play good football and we’ll see what the future holds.”
Read more: Real Madrid will be without six star players for Liverpool clash
Real Madrid join Man City and Liverpool in transfer race to sign Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi
Vinicius Junior set to miss Real Madrid’s Champions League clash at Liverpool
