Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has refuted rumors suggesting that Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne might leave the club for a move to Saudi Arabia. De Bruyne, whose current contract runs until 2025, had hinted last month that he was open to the possibility of a transfer.
However, Guardiola remains confident that there will be minimal changes to the squad before the transfer window closes on August 30.
“Kevin is not going anywhere,” Guardiola stated during a press conference at North Carolina State University on Monday, ahead of Manchester City’s opening U.S. tour match against Celtic.
“I’m very satisfied with our squad for the long term. While I can’t predict what will happen in the market, if any departures occur, we will address them then. But I’m confident that 85-95% of our squad will remain intact. We’ve made significant market moves over the years, and every situation is unique. I’m comfortable with the current quality of our team, which is hard to replace.”
Manchester City recently signed 20-year-old Brazilian winger Savinho and Guardiola confirmed that Kalvin Phillips, who was on loan to West Ham United last season, has rejoined the first team for training.
“Savinho is a versatile winger who can be very effective one-on-one,” Guardiola noted.
He also emphasized the importance of refreshing the squad with a few new additions, stating, “Bringing in one or two new players is necessary to keep things fresh, but changing six or seven is neither possible nor sustainable. Many players are interested in joining us, but high asking prices from other clubs have prevented those deals.”
Manchester City will kick off their Premier League title defense against Chelsea on August 18.