Kevin De Bruyne will have to review his plans again after Pep Guardiola suggested that he was not sustainable enough to keep track of the requirements of modern football.
De Bruyne has been in Manchester City since 2015 and is one of the loyal stablewarts of their success under the management of Guardiola, but sees his current contract expired in June. His influence has been taken over the past 18 months, largely because of his struggles with injuries.
The 33-year-old midfielder was not available for almost two months from mid-September for almost two months due to a pelvic problem and led only 26 performances last season due to a hamstring injury. He is part of the old guard in the city and there are clear signs that Guardiola is ready to revise the team in the summer to breathe new life into a necessity side.
Kyle Walker was sent on loan to AC Milan in January, when four young players arrived for £ 170 million, and it now seems that De Bruyne will not get a new deal. That means he will have to change his plans, since he had previously indicated that he wanted to end his career in the city in the summer in the midst of the Saudi -Pro League interest in the summer.
“We have to look at reality,” Guardiola told Liverpool prior to Sunday's game. “We have to sit down with the doctors, physios, players, agents and are clear that some of them cannot play every month or two months to play every three days.
“This is the reality. There is another year and then the World Cup. We already have many players who cannot maintain that as they have in the past, play in different competitions and travel without problems.
“We always compete in the Champions League to the last phases. We usually arrive in the quarterfinals and the semi -final. The reality is for the future, if we want to be there again, is that we need players and have to be available. It is true, so demanding because teams are faster, faster, stronger – and we can't handle it now. “
Speaking of De Bruyne, who did not stand up against Real Madrid in the mid -week, Guardiola added: “The relationship with Kevin De Bruyne is exceptional. I can't be grateful enough for what he did for me, the team, everyone. It was just a decision I made about what I saw. He played at home against Madrid, so he can of course play. '
De Bruyne had previously hoped to get a two -year contract extension with City, which would bring him to the age of 35 if he could retire. However, it now seems that his representatives have to resume the other options that they had investigated last year.
In May it was reported that his agents had held conversations with the new MLS franchise San Diego FC, while details of provisional discussions about a possible move to Saudi Arabia arose shortly thereafter.
De Bruyne is far from the only city player in the chopping block this summer, with colleague people over 30 John Stones, Nathan Ake, Ilkay Gundogan, Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva very vulnerable. Stones were injured during the 3-1 defeat by Real Madrid halfway through the week and the comments of Guardiola suggest that he is looking at the youth this summer after signing a two-year contract extension this season.
“They are many games,” he added. “More than 50 games are too much for the players in the season. It is too much for humans, because the body cannot persist. “
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