De Bruyne says Man City team-mates want him to stay

Kevin De Bruyne suggested his Manchester City team-mates bash not privation him to permission the nine aft scoring the lone extremity successful Friday’s important 1-0 triumph implicit Wolves.

De Bruyne netted successful the 35th infinitesimal arsenic City earned a 4th consecutive Premier League triumph and tightened their grip connected a Champions League qualification spot.

It could beryllium De Bruyne’s last extremity astatine the Etihad Stadium, with City lone having 1 much location crippled – against Bournemouth connected May 20 – earlier helium leaves arsenic a escaped agent.

When it was announced his declaration would not beryllium renewed past month, brag Pep Guardiola said it was a “club decision”, and De Bruyne has reiterated that helium did not privation to go.

Speaking to Sky Sports aft Friday’s game, De Bruyne outlined his content that helium tin inactive lend astatine the apical level.

“I effort to play arsenic overmuch bully shot arsenic I can,” helium said. “I cognize that I lone person 1 location crippled left, but I conscionable effort to bash my occupation and that’s what I did today.

“A batch of team-mates person said that it’s bittersweet I person to spell too, but that’s conscionable however it sometimes goes successful life.

“I don’t cognize what the aboriginal volition be, but I cognize that I tin inactive play here.

“I americium inactive enjoying it, and we inactive person a occupation to do. It was a hard crippled today, but we recovered a mode to win. Now we tin conscionable unbend a spot and spot what the different teams do.”

City are present 2 points wide of Newcastle United, 4 up of Chelsea and Nottingham Forest and 7 supra Aston Villa, with each of their rivals for a top-five decorativeness successful enactment betwixt Saturday and Monday.

Guardiola’s squad look Southampton, Bournemouth and Fulham successful their last 3 league games of 2024-25, portion they volition instrumentality connected Crystal Palace successful the FA Cup last connected May 17.

“It has been a pugnacious year, but we are uncovering a spot of a groove,” De Bruyne said. “We are winning the games that we request to, truthful let’s anticipation we tin extremity the play similar that.”

De Bruyne has present scored 30 Premier League goals since turning 30 – the lone players to people much for City aged 30 oregon older are Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero (41 each).

The Belgian besides has 11 extremity involvements successful 10 Premier League appearances against Wolves (six goals, 5 assists), the joint-most of immoderate subordinate alongside Mohamed Salah.

In his ain post-match interrogation with Sky Sports, Guardiola rejected suggestions City could yet support De Bruyne, though helium besides described the midfielder arsenic irreplaceable.

“We volition conscionable accidental convey you. What tin I say? We’re blessed that he’s finishing this way, we lone person 1 much crippled with him astatine the Etihad,” Guardiola said of De Bruyne.

“I privation the champion for Kevin, it would not beryllium imaginable without him… what we person done successful the past 9 years. The concern is what it is.

“We cannot regenerate these players. It is not conscionable their performances, but besides however they beryllium successful the hearts of the fans.”