Manchester City have endured a very difficult season having passed their Premier League title to Liverpool and things could be set to get worse for them with a huge issue on the horizon
Erling Haaland has claimed Manchester City simply cannot replace Kevin De Bruyne with his final game on the horizon. The Belgian midfielder confirmed last month that he would be departing the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season.
De Bruyne has not been offered a new contract at the club, meaning a glittering City career will come to an end. The beneficiary of many a De Bruyne pass, Haaland, has spoken out on his upcoming exit and claimed the club will not be able to find another like him.
Speaking to City’s official website, the Norwegian striker said: “It’s been a pleasure to play with him. Hopefully in the last couple of games we’re going to have a really good time.
“We clicked straight away from the first second and it’s going to be emotional when a good friend leaves. Maybe the best player ever to play for City – one of the best to play in the Premier League as well.
“Hopefully we can make it a good one in the last few weeks. You really can’t replace a player like him because he’s got something so special with the way he puts the ball into the box.
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“You can see many of my goals are assisted by him and some of them have been ridiculous. We have to make the best out of it and give him a good farewell.”
Haaland’s assessment is very similar to that of boss Pep Guardiola, who has also suggested that there will not be a player available who matches De Bruyne’s abilities. Speaking to BBC Sport, the Catalan coach said: “I want the best for Kevin, so it cannot be possible to have done these many years without him.
“He has been an incredible player but the situation is what it is. It’s almost impossible to replace this kind of player. It is not just the performance, it is what he means to the heart for our fans for many, many years. The success we have belongs to the players.”
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And while City of course have a tough task on their hands to replace De Bruyne, it appears there is no lack of trying. The 2024 Premier League champions have been linked with a sensational swoop for Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz, who is also interesting Liverpool ahead of the summer transfer window.
There still remains a big decision to make over De Bruyne’s future. The midfielder’s contract expires midway through the Club World Cup and he has admitted he does not yet know if he will be allowed to play. A number of clubs including Liverpool, Aston Villa, Napoli and MLS side Austin FC have all been linked with a potential swoop.
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