“I’m told…” – Worrying times for Man City as Pep backtracks on previous De Bruyne statement

Though he’s getting no younger, Kevin De Bruyne remains the fulcrum of the current Man City side, and his manager, Pep Guardiola, will be acutely aware of that fact.

Alongside Rodri, the Belgian talisman is the player who makes the side tick, and there’s a marked difference when he isn’t in situ.

His importance to everything that City do is obvious, and so when it was announced by Guardiola a week or so ago that De Bruyne was staying despite serious interest from the Saudi Pro League ...