Is everything okay between Pep Guardiola and De Bruyne? Midfielder's limited playing time sparks speculations
By Deepu Mohan | First Published Dec 2, 2024, 6:14 PM ISTKevin De Bruyne's limited playing time for Manchester City has sparked speculation about a rift with manager Pep Guardiola, amid contract uncertainty and rumors of a Saudi Arabia move.
A growing concern among Manchester City fans has been the limited playing time of star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. The 33-year-old Belgian international has been coming off the bench for mere minutes, sparking speculation about a potential rift between De Bruyne and manager Pep Guardiola.
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De Bruyne's reduced playing time has been a trend for several weeks, with the midfielder featuring for only 12 minutes in City's 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday. This has raised eyebrows, especially considering De Bruyne's importance to the team's success in the Pep Guardiola era.
De Bruyne's contract with Manchester City expires at the end of the season, and recent statements from the player and Guardiola have hinted at a potential disagreement. De Bruyne has put contract talks on hold, while Guardiola has expressed uncertainty about the midfielder's future. Rumors have also linked De Bruyne to a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia.
Former England striker Gary Lineker and ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richards have weighed in on the situation. Lineker suspects that something is amiss between De Bruyne and Guardiola, while Richards believes that the limited playing time is a sign of a deeper issue. Richards also questioned the omission of other key players, such as Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish, from the starting XI.
"De Bruyne came on again with not long to go when the game was pretty much done. Yeah, he nearly got a goal because of [Virgil] van Dijk's error, but is there something going on there, do you think? Because he's been coming on for five or 10 minutes, what, for about a month now?," Lineker said.
Former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer has also shared his thoughts on the matter. Shearer believes that the dip in Manchester City's results has exposed underlying issues within the team, including potential conflicts between players and the manager.
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