'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
According to various reputable sources across Europe and the United States, Kevin De Bruyne will use the coronavirus outbreak to reassess his future at Manchester City. As per ESPN, the Belgium international is second-guessing his long-term future at the Etihad, particularly in light of the uncertainty surrounding the Citizens' chances of featuring in UEFA competitions next season.
The reigning Premier League champions have been handed a two-year ban from European football for breaching Financial Fair Play regulations and are still waiting to see the outcome of their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In case the suspension is upheld, Manchester City could face an exodus, with numerous of their star performers already heavily linked with a switch away once the transfer window reopens.
De Bruyne could be the one to headline summer departures, as several major European teams are keeping close tabs on his current situation at the Etihad. Barcelona and Real Madrid are understood to be leading the race, with Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus lurking in the shadows. So, there will be no lack of suitors if he decides to move on ahead of the next season, but City will fight tooth and nail to keep hold of their star playmaker nonetheless.
Pep Guardiola has already laid the groundwork to convince the Belgian magician, and other City players who may have been questioning their future, to remain at the club beyond the summer regardless of the outcome of the appeal.
Well aware of the gravity of the situation the Citizens have found themselves in, the Spaniard hurried to the press, stating: “When someone believes he is right, he is going to fight to the end, and that is what we are going to do.
"It is an incredible thing to fight for our people who support this club, and we are going to do it. As a club, a team, we are going to do it."
Only time will tell whether or not Guardiola's efforts to keep his squad together for the next season will come to fruition. Still, there's a genuine feeling that the former Barcelona boss can afford to lose any player except for De Bruyne, who has been an absolute beast for City this campaign.
No one can replace the most creative player in Europe!
De Bruyne has racked up 20 assists in all competitions this season, including 17 in the Premier League, which makes him the most creative player in Europe. Moreover, he has made more key passes than any other player in Europe’s top-five leagues (72), adding nine goals in the process.
Needless to say, replacing a player of De Bruyne's quality is virtually impossible, especially considering the way he's been playing this season. The majority of City's good work this term came as a product of the Belgian's masterclass, and without Champions League football as an enticement, the Etihad outfit will hardly find an adequate replacement for the former Chelsea flop.
Guardiola and De Bruyne are a perfect match
De Bruyne ticks all the boxes for a type of player Pep Guardiola likes, and the Spaniard’s football philosophy perfectly suits the Belgian’s style of play. His passing ability, spatial awareness and vision give Guardiola a much-desired control of possession, while in return, the 28-year-old has all the freedom and liberty he needs to dictate the pace of City's game.
These two are made for each other. The highly-rated playmaker has become the best version of himself under the Spanish genius, while the brilliance and ‘simplicity’ (rather complexity) of his football has provided the ex-Bayern Munich manager with the ultimate satisfaction.
No Champions League means no De Bruyne
Unfortunately for the Citizens supporters, the 28-year-old has emphasized how significant the Champions League is to him in the build-up to City's first-leg clash against Real Madrid.
"With the draw, I don’t think there was a small team we could have had. If you want to win the Champions League, you need to beat the best," De Bruyne said, as reported by talkSPORT.
“I think this is what you want to play for. You want to play Champions League, World Cups, Euros, all that stuff.
“Obviously it’s something I have not won, so maybe subconsciously, it’s something that I want more."
If City’s European ban is upheld, it would mean that De Bruyne will be 30 when he gets the chance to feature in Europe’s premier club competition again, and it seems highly unlikely that he is ready to wait that long.
City can dictate the price if they are forced to sell
If he decides to part ways with Guardiola’s crew when the transfer window reopens, City will be powerless to stop him from finding a new engagement elsewhere, but they will be in a strong bargaining position to negotiate the best possible terms for the club.
Indeed, De Bruyne’s contract at the Etihad runs out in 2023, and considering he is at his pinnacle at the moment, the perennial English champions will be able to maximize their profit if they fail to persuade the Belgian to stay put.
Barcelona and Real Madrid are sure to come knocking on the door as soon as they feel there’s the smallest window of opportunity that can be seized, and that’s when Manchester City can only hope to extract as much money as they can from the Belgian’s departure.
Phil Foden has the potential to fill the void
The Blues fans may forgive Guardiola if he fails to keep De Bruyne at the Etihad, but neglecting such a prodigious talent as Phil Foden will certainly rekindle memories of the loss of Jadon Sancho.
Like the current Borussia Dortmund star, who left City for the Bundesliga in summer 2018, Foden is projected as a future leader of the England national team, and the Spanish manager can’t let the club repeat the same mistake. The possible absence of De Bruyne could open up the space for the 19-year-old starlet and help him get much-needed first-team action on a more regular basis.
The youngster has come through the ranks at the Etihad and knows how the system works, plus he has the English passport, which often matters the most for the players who want to build a reputation in the Premier League.
