MANCHESTER, United Kingdom, November 25 – Kevin de Bruyne says he is unsure whether this will be his last season at Manchester City after putting talks over a contract extension on hold.
The Belgium midfielder, 33, is out of contract at the end of the season, but paused negotiations while recovering from a thigh problem sustained in September.
He has been limited to nine appearances this term, but has come on as a substitute in each of City’s past three matches as he regains full fitness.
“Obviously when I started the season I knew talks would happen but then I had that thing [thigh injury] against Brentford and put that to a side,” said De Bruyne.
“I was hoping to be out for days but it ended up being eight or nine weeks and I would rather get back first and all the rest will come.
“I am not too obsessed with things but there is not much I can say. I am fine, I am happy, I just want to play football again and we will see.
“Talks will come, if no talks come it will be my last year. I just want to play good football.”
De Bruyne added that had spoken to the club about his future last summer but “was not in the right frame of mind” to continue talks after his injury.
The Belgium captain moved to City from Bundesliga club Wolfsburg in 2015 for a fee of £55m.
Pep Guardiola joined the club a year later and helped to develop De Bruyne into a central midfielder.
“He wants to finish here at his best,” said Guardiola.
“I don’t think he will be here when he believes he doesn’t feel he can be the Kevin that can produce and help the team like he has done in the last decade.”
The former Chelsea midfielder said he was “open to everything” last summer after being linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.
De Bruyne said that should he spend two years in Saudi Arabia, he would be “able to earn an incredible amount of money”.
