Manchester City was handed a tough blow in their attempt to retain the Premier League title in 2023-24. Their star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is dealing with a hamstring injury and is expected to be out between three and four months.
De Bruyne got hurt in the season opener against Burnley, being forced to exit the game in the first half. It is the same type of hamstring injury that hampered the 32-year-old player towards the end of the last season.
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Man City’s head coach Pep Guardiola said that De Bruyne might need surgery and that he is expected to miss a significant portion of the season.
“We have to decide if he needs surgery or no surgery, but he will be out for a few months,” said Guardiola. “[The decision on surgery will be taken] in the next few days. It will be three of four months [out].”
De Bruyne was a key player for Man City last season, helping the club win a treble of Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and FA Cup. He scored 10 goals and had 31 assists in all competitions in 2022-23.
With De Bruyne, Manchester City is expected to ramp up its activity in the transfer market. They are pursuing West Ham United’s star Lucas Paqueta at the moment but have seen several bids rejected.
