Pep Guardiola has said Kevin De Bruyne “isn’t leaving” Manchester City this season, despite reports linking the playmaker with a move to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad were said to have the Belgian in their sights, with De Bruyne – who has a year remaining on his current deal – last month admitting he has been discussing the future with his wife Michele.
However, speaking ahead of Manchester City’s friendly against Celtic in North Carolina, Manchester City manager Guardiola told reporters the 33-year-old “isn’t leaving”.
“If someone leaves, we’re going to talk about that,” he said.
“Of course, until the last day, we have chances (to make transfers), I don’t rule it out the option to have new players but I think there is an 85-90 per cent chance we will have the same squad.
“I feel comfortable, because the quality of human beings we have in the squad is difficult to be replaced, and the quality is there.
“But we’ll see, I don’t know in the last moment if someone comes for some players and they leave, we’re going to decide.”
In June, De Bruyne told the Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws he was fond of the idea of a lucrative pay day in the latter stages of his career.
“For Michele, an exotic adventure is OK,” he told the paper.
“These are also conversations that we are having more and more as a family. I still have one year of contract, so I have to think about what can happen.
“My eldest (child) is now eight years old and knows nothing but England. He also asks how long I will play at City. Once the time comes, we will have to deal with it in a certain way.
“At my age, you have to be open to everything. You talk about unbelievable amounts in what may be the end of my career. Sometimes you have to think about that.
“If I play there for two years, I will be able to earn an incredible amount of money.”
De Bruyne signed for City in the summer of 2015 and has since won 15 major trophies.