Pep Guardiola offered a non-answer when discussing Kevin De Bruyne's future at Manchester City, with his contract up at the end of the season.
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Pep Guardiola praises Kevin De Bruyne
Pep Guardiola praises Kevin De Bruyne(Image: Getty Images)
Kevin De Bruyne is edging closer to a Manchester City exit this season - with still no news on whether contract talks have begun to extend his deal past June.
Talisman De Bruyne will go down as one of City's greatest ever players, arguably the best full stop. However his level has dropped this season and he was absent for much of last term due to injury. Turning 34 midway through the Club World Cup campaign, De Bruyne is nearing the end of his City spell even if he signs an extension into next season.
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City could offer a temporary two-week contract to De Bruyne to cover the Club World Cup before making a more permanent decision on his future, and Pep Guardiola has previously said the Belgian deserves to decide his own future in his own time.
On the other hand, the argument is growing for De Bruyne to bid farewell at the end of the season to allow City to continue their rebuild. And Guardiola toned down his response to De Bruyne's future, distancing himself from the decision and insisting his only focus is finishing the season with a top four place and FA Cup trophy.
"It is between the club and Kevin and his agent. It is between the club and Kevin," he said on Friday.
"In the position that I am in, we are just concerned about the team and finishing the season in the best position possible. We have to think about the best thing for the club with the FA Cup, the Premier League and the Club World Cup."
Asked if he would like to see De Bruyne part of his Club World Cup squad in June, Guardiola hardly issued a vote of confidence, replying: "he is a player [we have], yeah."
Contrast that to Guardiola's previous comments where he expressed hope that De Bruyne would follow Erling Haaland in signing a new deal, or comparing his impact to David Silva's. On De Bruyne's part, he parked talks until he regained full fitness and form.
His most recent comments in January suggested that 'something will happen', before Guardiola said in February that De Bruyne must be honest with himself about his future.
At the start of the season, De Bruyne spoke of wanting a 'project' when deciding his club for next season. "Family is obviously an important factor whatever happens. When you talk to people you have to make a decision," he said in September.
"It's very hard to talk hypothetically because obviously there are things you want as a family, as a person, as a project. But when I don't know anything there's not a lot I can say. I know what the team can give me, there's nothing really new that I can learn. Obviously we'll see what happens when the conversation starts."
Last week, MLS club San Diego confirmed they had held talks with De Bruyne over a potential move but ruled themselves out of signing him due to his wage demands.
De Bruyne has started just four of City's last 12 games, acting as an unused substitute in four of those games and sitting out of the XI for huge games with Real Madrid, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal and others this season.
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