De Bruyne difficult to replace, says Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has admitted that Manchester City face a nearly impossible task in replacing Kevin De Bruyne, given the immense impact the Belgian midfielder has had on the club over the past decade.

De Bruyne, who has been instrumental to City's success, has won six Premier League titles and 13 major trophies since his arrival in 2015, a year before Guardiola took charge.

The 33-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and has hinted at the possibility of a move to the Saudi Pro League, where lucrative offers await.

"I would love to have a 23-year-old Kevin and sign him for another 10 years," Guardiola said on 6 December.

"There are players who leave a lasting legacy at the club, and Kevin is certainly one of them. Replacing him won't be easy, but we'll cross that bridge when it happens."

De Bruyne made a return to action on 4 December, playing a key role in Manchester City's 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest, which ended a seven-match winless run.

This was his first start in nearly three months, as Guardiola has been carefully managing his recovery from injury.

However, with an ongoing injury crisis at the club, Guardiola may have no choice but to call upon De Bruyne again for their upcoming match against Crystal Palace on 9 December.

"We don't have many players available, so we'll see how he responds," Guardiola explained. "It's important to have him back, but after such a long break, we must be cautious. With three matches in a week, we'll have to monitor how he copes with the workload."

Manchester City are also facing a number of injury concerns. Phil Foden remains sidelined due to illness, and Nathan Ake picked up a muscle injury during the Forest match.

In addition, Rodri, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, and Oscar Bobb are all unavailable for the trip to Crystal Palace.