Kevin De Bruyne says he has put talks about his Manchester City future to one side while he focuses on his recovery from injury.
De Bruyne is out of contract in the summer and had been planning to speak to the club about his options in recent weeks, but has not started a match since the Champions League meeting with Inter in September.
“I honestly don’t know,” he said when asked about a new contract. “I knew talks would happen but I unfortunately had the (injury) against Brentford and I put everything to the side, I thought I would be out for two or three days but I ended up being (out) for eight or nine weeks so for the moment I want to get better first and see how I am.
“The rest will come, I am not too obsessed with it but there’s not a lot to say. I’m fine, I’m happy, I just want to play good football again and the future we’ll see.
“I had a conversation already in the summer but then obviously I had the injury so I was not in the right frame of mind to speak about that, I really want to be back where I need to be on the pitch, be myself again. There’s no rush also so I’m comfortable with my situation, I just want to play football. I’m not really worried.”
The 33-year-old revealed that he sustained a problem against Brentford on September 14 that he originally expected to keep him out only for two or three days, but ended up being unable to put any power in his shots.
“Every time I would shoot the ball I would get a lot of pain,” he added. “I was trying to find methods to get my power back but it took a long time to get better and actually it only got better on Friday, I can’t explain it, I don’t know why, and now the last few days it’s been better.”
City manager Pep Guardiola, who himself signed a new contract with the club this month, emphasised De Bruyne’s importance but said his decision on his future had to be in the best interests of the player and the team.
“I don’t know. That is up to Kevin,” Guardiola said. “Whether that is the end of the next one, or the next one, or the next one. Like David Silva, he will decide when is best for him and the team. He will not want to be in the position where he can’t play every three days. When he’s available, he has to play.”
City return to action with a Champions League tie against Feyenoord on Tuesday.
(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
