Despite the possibility of a six-month absence for Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City won’t rush to sign a replacement in the final two weeks of the transfer window.
Pep Guardiola estimates that Kevin De Bruyne could be sidelined until February 2024, admitting that the Belgian’s long-term injury has affected Manchester City’s transfer strategy.
De Bruyne would have been out for three to four months this week, according to Guardiola, who then corrected himself in his Friday press conference to say that the absence would actually be four to five months. Now that he has mentioned De Bruyne being away until February, he is implying that he might miss six months of the season.
“We frequently discuss the things we need to do with Txiki [Begiristain] and whether we need to include anyone else. In my opinion, a small squad works best. Kevin’s blow, however, shifts the viewpoint.
“He is a crucial player, and it won’t be for one or two weeks. He’s 32 years old, it’s been four or five months, and because of the way he plays physically, he needs to be physically fit. As a result, we need to take a moment to consider the team and consider what we need to do while also keeping in mind that other people have also been spending a lot of money in recent years.
“Those players, including De Bruyne, cannot be replaced. We are not going to the market to replace him because he will be back with us in January or February for the upcoming season. We shall see, but replacing Kevin De Bruyne is not a simple matter of copying and pasting. As we converse, we will monitor the situation.
“When individuals claim that only Manchester City and Pep Guardiola purchase players. We need to wait and see what happens in the market before paying what we think is fair and buying all the players we have. I didn’t know I had a lot of money in my pocket.
“We desired Harry Maguire but chose not to purchase him due to our unwillingness to pay; we desired Marc Cucurella but chose not to pay; and we desired Alexis Sanchez but chose not to pay. In the end, we will only charge what is justifiable.
The academy is an option if not.”.
Guardiola claims a number of players can fill De Bruyne’s position at the top of a midfield trio if City decides not to look for a new midfielder. He also suggested the busy fixture schedule was a contributing factor in De Bruyne’s setback shortly after making his injury-related comeback in the summer.
“Phil [Foden] can play there, Macca [James McAtee] can play there, Mateo Kovacic can play there, and Bernardo Silva can play there. “He stated.
“Perhaps we need more wingers; Phil, Bernardo, and Cole can all play there, and Cole is particularly adept at it. We are so fortunate to have four or five players who can play in the middle. We may be shorter, but I prefer short numbers, so it’s really more of a question of numbers. Players who are not chosen shouldn’t be left at home over the weekend, in my opinion. It can’t last.
“I’m looking for the ideal bench number for the Premier League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup.”. The schedule is the schedule, so I have a feeling we currently have a lot of minor injuries.
“We have to be sincere. I appear as though Istanbul was yesterday. We’ve already had two finals while we’ve been here. One of the best professionals, John Stones, takes incredible care of himself. He needs to rest, but he is pressed for time. That is the reason why there is some groin and hamstring pain.
Kevin might have required more recovery time. What is, is. We need to consider this issue. Hopefully, we will succeed. “.
In response to De Bruyne’s injury, City are willing to sign a new midfielder or forward, but Guardiola insists that the Blues will not overpay for a player and will back out of potential deals if the price isn’t right.
Lucas Paqueta is a player who City are interested in, but reports on Friday indicated there was little chance of a deal materializing. This was before it was revealed that he is the focus of an investigation into sports betting. In his press conference, Guardiola declined to respond to inquiries about the West Ham player, choosing to support his current roster to fill De Bruyne’s spot if a replacement player is unable to be found.
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