Pep Guardiola and technical director Txiki Begiristain.
When he talks about contracts, Guardiola usually says it is a ‘club’ decision and passes on responsibility to those above him. On this occasion, he is owning it.
“It was not easy for me to tell him it won’t continue,” Guardiola told the media at his scheduled pre-match news conference before Sunday’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
That statement reinforces De Bruyne’s own words in his social media post: “Whether we like it or not, it’s time to say goodbye.”
What is not absolutely clear is what the key factors were in the decision to sever ties.
De Bruyne is one of the Premier League’s highest earners. It was impossible to imagine City would offer an extension on the same £400,000-a-week terms. They are also pretty good at playing hardball, as former captain Ilkay Gundogan found out in 2023 when City refused to buckle over the Germany midfielder’s demands for a two-year deal.
De Bruyne has been a shadow of his usual self this season. By common consent, he has not had a game-changing influence since the victory at Newcastle in January 2024, when he came off the bench to score one and create another, turning a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 victory.
His four goals and seven assists in all competitions this season is down on normal levels. He last scored against Championship side Plymouth in the FA Cup last month. The last two of his six Premier League assists came in a 6-0 win against relegation-threatened Ipswich in January.
Guardiola has admitted this season he was probably wrong to remain loyal to his core squad last summer. Was that the deciding factor, or was it deemed demeaning to offer De Bruyne an extension on far less than he is earning now?
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