Man City could allow midfielder De Bruyne to leave

Manchester City moved to the top of the Premier League table after a 2-1 win over Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday. 

Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland were both on target for the reigning champions while Ansu Fati – on loan from Barcelona – scored in the second-half for Roberto De Zerbi’s side.

The win moved the Citizens above both Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, with Spurs able to leapfrog City when they face London rivals Fulham on Monday evening.

In the meantime, it appears that those in charge of City could make a shock decision on the future of midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.

As per Football Insider, City could decide against offering the Belgian a new contract if he continues to suffer from regular injuries.

De Bruyne joined City from German side Wolfsburg back in 2015 and has since established himself as one of the world’s best players.

De Bruyne hasn’t played for City since the opening day of the Premier League season

In total the Belgium international has made 358 appearances for City across all competitions, scoring 96 goals and providing 153 assists.

Despite his importance to Pep Guardiola’s side, the report claims that City could opt against offering the midfielder an extension to his current deal, which is set to expire in 2025.

It is claimed that talks over a possible extension will likely take place next year, however the club are becoming increasingly concerned about the frequency with which De Bruyne is being sidelined due to injury.

The former Chelsea man is currently out due to a muscle tear, and hasn’t featured for City since the opening day of the season.

In total he has missed more than 50 games for City due to injury, which appears to be a cause for concern for those in charge of the club.