Pep wants De Bruyne at City amid Saudi links

Pep Guardiola said he wants Kevin De Bruyne to stay at Manchester City next season but admits the midfielder may be tempted by a move to Saudi Arabia.

De Bruyne has a contract at the Etihad Stadium until 2025, but it’s not stopped the midfielder being linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League (SPL).

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There was interest in the 32-year-old last summer and he is back on the agenda for Saudi clubs ahead of the next window.

“It’s a question for him, I’d love him to stay but I don’t know,” Guardiola said.

“I heard some links but I don’t know if there’s an offer, I don’t know if Saudi Arabia wants him. I would love him to stay until the end of his career, but everyone is everyone.”

Guardiola, who takes his team to Luton Town on Wednesday for their FA Cup fifth round tie, also heaped praise on Xabi Alonso, who has been linked with the manager’s job at Liverpool.

Alonso played under Guardiola at Bayern Munich between 2014 and 2016 and, having taken over as Bayer Leverkusen manager in 2022, has led the German side to the top of the Bundesliga table.

Asked how good a job Alonso is doing at Leverkusen, Guardiola replied: “Wow. The only team unbeaten in all competitions [this season], fighting all the way with Bayern Munich.

“Now they have the best time of the season, in the position they cannot win the Bundesliga but they can lose the Bundesliga because everybody thinks it’s done. That’s the most difficult thing, it’s not done until it’s done.

“Not just the way they play, they didn’t lose one game in the Europa League, Pokal [German cup], Bundesliga. I was incredibly fortunate to have him. He was such an intelligent player. Such an intelligent player.”