Call on De Bruyne future is key in a big 2025 for City

2025 is set to be a year of change at Manchester City.

- JOE BRAY

Txiki Begiristain is set to leave, Pep Guardiola's deal expires in June, and there are those outstanding 115 charges from the Premier League that will have significant ramifications for City's relationship with the league they have dominated, whatever the result.

There is the Club World Cup that will see City as one of the star attractions at the expanded tournament that Fifa are pinning so much on amid consistent pushback from players and managers over the everincreasing schedule. And there will be decisions to be made on some City legends, too, with Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne out of contract.

De Bruyne was subject to intense reports over the summer that he may leave, with the Saudi Pro League strongly linked. In the end, Guardiola cooled those reports on tour and De Bruyne remained at City, now into the final year of his contract.

In theory, he would be free to sign a deal with a new club from January, and he offered an update on his expectations last month. So where do City stand on De Bruyne's future?

WHAT HAS DE BRUYNE SAID?

De Bruyne set the rumour mill into overdrive over the summer when he admitted his head would be turned by an 'absurd' offer from Saudi Arabia, and he hardly shut those reports down when he later tried to clarify his position.

In the end, no offer came, and he later said that he did not speak to any club over the summer.

Speaking after City's win at West Ham last month, De Bruyne insisted: "There has been a lot of noises and news. I've not been entertained by anybody or spoken to anybody." In terms of looking at a new contract, De Bruyne confirmed no talks had taken place over the summer while the transfer window was still open.