- Pep Guardiola dismissed rumors of Kevin De Bruyne leaving Manchester City, asserting that the midfielder is not going anywhere
- Guardiola confirmed no major squad changes before the transfer window closes, expressing confidence in the team’s quality and stability
Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has dismissed reports suggesting that Kevin De Bruyne might leave the club, despite speculation linking the Belgian midfielder with a move to Saudi Arabia.
De Bruyne, whose contract runs until 2025, had previously mentioned that he wouldn’t rule out a transfer. However, Guardiola stated there would be no major changes to the squad before the transfer window closes on August 30.
“Kevin is not going,” Guardiola asserted during a press conference at North Carolina State University on Monday, ahead of their opening U.S. tour match against Celtic. “I am delighted with the squad for many years. I don’t know what will happen in the market if someone leaves; we will discuss that. But 85-95% of us (will) have the same squad. We’ve made an impact in the market (over the years), and every situation is different. I feel comfortable because our quality in the squad is difficult to replace.”
City recently signed 20-year-old Brazilian winger Savinho, and Guardiola confirmed that Kalvin Phillips, who was loaned to West Ham United, has been training with the first team.
“Savinho can play on the wing, and when he is one-v-one, he is devastating,” Guardiola added. “He is young, and bringing in one or two players to keep things fresh is necessary, but we cannot change six or seven. It is impossible and unsustainable. Many players want to come here, but we didn’t get agreements from the clubs, and when they ask a very high price, we don’t do it.”
Manchester City will begin their Premier League title defence at Chelsea on August 18.