Pep Guardiola admits it’s “almost impossible” to replace Kevin De Bruyne, who’s set to leave Man City. What now for the Champions? Who can fill the void left by the Belgian legend’s departure?
Fabrizio Romano reports that Manchester City are planning to “advance on” their pursuit of a Kevin De Bruyne replacement, with Morgan Gibbs-White emerging as a prime target.
De Bruyne, a Manchester City legend, is expected to leave the club at the end of the season when his contract expires. Pep Guardiola acknowledges the daunting task of replacing the Belgian midfielder ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. “It’s almost impossible to replace this kind of player,” Guardiola admitted. “The success we have belongs to the players.”
A stellar career at the Etihad
De Bruyne has enjoyed a stellar career at Man City since his transfer from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2015. He has made 418 appearances across all competitions, winning an impressive six Premier League titles and the Champions League in the club’s treble-winning campaign in 2023. His quality is undeniable.
Man City and Guardiola acknowledge the huge task of replacing the 33-year-old’s services for next season. The numbers that De Bruyne accumulated were astronomical.
Gibbs-White on City’s radar
Naturally, the club have several players on their radar, including Morgan Gibbs-White, who has starred at Nottingham Forest this season. This is not entirely unsurprising, as Gibbs-White has impressed.
According to Romano, Man City “plan to advance on” Gibbs-White in the “next weeks” to secure a deal. On X, he wrote: “Manchester City plan to advance on Morgan Gibbs-White deal in the next weeks as he remains one of the priority targets.“
“No issues are expected on personal terms but work to do with Nottingham Forest as they still hope to keep MGW.” The problem that may arise for City is that Nottingham want to retain Gibbs-White.
A key figure for Forest
Gibbs-White, 25, joined Forest from Wolves in the summer of 2022. He has been a key figure for the club, as they push for Champions League qualification. However, there have been concerns with what has happened at the club recently.
This season, he has scored five goals in 33 games across all competitions. Will he be able to score in Manchester?
Will Manchester City’s dream become a reality? Only time will tell, but it is something for the fans to ponder.
