Ex-Manchester City defender Bacary Sagna says his former club need to keep hold of Kevin De Bruyne.
The Belgian international has a year left on his contract and he has been linked with a transfer to Saudi Arabia. When asked by CoinPoker for his thoughts on De Bruyne’s future, Sagna said:
“Kevin De Bruyne is a vital member of the Manchester City squad. He has been such an important player for them over the years. He’s having some problems with injuries, but he always recovers and shows his quality. I think De Bruyne is a really special player. He hasn’t had the same impact as he did last season, but that’s because he was only available for half of it. Whenever City need a big player to step up, De Bruyne always delivers. His comeback game against Newcastle was ridiculous.”
Sagna claims that De Bruyne should be offered a one-year contract extension (at least) to keep him at the Etihad but, if the midfielder doesn’t stay, he fears the team will be “much weaker” without him:
“He is 32 now. I think he could stay for another two more years at Manchester City. He’s a brilliant player. He’s a competitor. If you want to win trophies and stay at the top, you need players like De Bruyne who demand the highest possible standards/Away from the pitch, he’s a special guy too. He would be a major asset to Manchester City over the next two years, even if he isn’t able to play in every minute of every game. He is very self-critical and is never satisfied with his own performances. He won’t want to sit on the bench, but Cit would be a much weaker team without him in their squad.”
Will De Bruyne leave City?
The 32-year-old spoke out last week to say that the potential riches on offer in the Middle East were very tempting. However, The Athletic journalist Sam Lee wrote in a column earlier this week that sources close to De Bruyne are “sceptical” about the player’s desire to move there.
He did confirm that no talks are planned between City and the Belgian about a new deal, which will be a concern for fans hoping that he will get an extension.
Are City planning to sign a replacement?
The Premier League champions have been credited with an interest in several midfielders over recent weeks. The likes of Benfica’s Joao Neves, Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton have all been mentioned.
Even so, you wouldn’t say any of them possess the same creativity as De Bruyne. He would leave a massive hole if he does depart before the summer transfer window closes.
