Nothing much has stopped Kevin De Bruyne becoming one of the Premier League greats – and nothing was going to halt his candid opinions on his Manchester City career coming to an end. Even if they were in earshot of the two men who appear to have wielded the axe, Etihad CEO Ferran Soriano and director of football Txiki Begiristain.
And just for good measure, incoming sporting director Hugo Viana was also in the cramped Goodison Park corridor next to the changing rooms as the Belgian bared his soul. Safe to say the 33-year-old isn’t too pleased at being told his time is up at City. “It was Txiki and Ferran who told me.” he revealed.
Then as the City hierarchy was pointed out to him just a few yards away he continued: “I don’t feel awkward with them (being in the corridor). In the end it is what it is. You have to accept people taking decisions. I told them also that I still think I had a lot to give. Obviously I know I’m not 25 anymore but I feel like I’m doing my job.
“It came as a bit of a shock. I’m open for anything (including staying in the Premier League). I have to look at the whole picture, sporting, the family, everything together, what makes the most sense for my family. I don’t know what it is. It depends on when you speak to people about projects and things.
“I know I can play at a good level. I have to make that decision once I really know more (of the offers).” De Bruyne, who was hugely instrumental in a hard earned victory which increases the chance of Champions League qualification, admitted that he suffered in the days following City’s decision not to offer him a new contract with the current one ending in the summer.
“It was half a week before I reported the news. My family weren’t at home either. They were on an Easter break. It was a bit weird but it is what it is,” De Bruyne added.
“It was a very brief meeting. I don’t really feel like I want to share what was said because it was basically more business wise for them. They just made the decision based on that. It was not really a long conversation. It was just what they told me and I have to accept the situation even though I feel like I can still do a good job, that’s it.
“I like to play football, I like to compete. I can’t say like I want to quit because I still feel when I’m in training I still want to beat the guys in the club. I feel like I’m doing really well and that’s why I’ve been playing a lot lately.”
De Bruyne also feels that City’s underwhelming season in stark contrast to the previous four title-winning campaigns has contributed to his imperious reign coming to an end.
“Maybe if the team hadn’t struggled and I had come back like now and bedded in like normal then maybe they would have taken another decision – I don’t know,” he added.
“Like I said I believe I’m in good shape. I’ve got over the hernia injury and as I’ve said before in the last six or seven weeks I feel good. The rhythm is coming and I’m training really hard.
“No I don’t think the decision will change despite how I’m playing. “I don’t know about the Club World Cup (in the summer), I don’t know.” What he does know is he contributed to three important points with late goals coming from Nico O’Reilly and Mateo Kovacic.
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