Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has firmly denied rumors that star midfielder Kevin de Bruyne might be departing the club.
De Bruyne has been a key player for City, playing a crucial role in their Premier League title win last season, which was their fourth consecutive championship and his sixth since joining the team.
Despite recent speculation linking him with a move to Saudi Arabia, with reports suggesting he might be exploring new opportunities after a successful spell with the Cityzens, De Bruyne has one year left on his contract and has won every major club trophy with City.
Last month, De Bruyne hinted that he might consider an offer from the Saudi Pro League due to its lucrative financial incentives.
Despite this, Guardiola remains unperturbed by the speculation. Speaking before City’s opening pre-season match against Celtic in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Guardiola made it clear that De Bruyne’s future with the club is secure.
“Kevin isn’t leaving,” he told reporters. “If someone leaves, we are going to talk about that and, of course, until the last day [of the transfer window] we have chances. I don’t rule out new players as an option, but I think there is an 85, 90, 95% chance we will have the same squad.”
Guardiola’s confidence indicates that Manchester City are likely to keep the core of their championship-winning squad as they prepare to defend their Premier League title.
City’s first match of the new season is scheduled against Chelsea on August 18.
