Kevin De Bruyne ‘probably won’t’ play for Manchester City at Club World Cup | OneFootball

Departing captain Kevin De Bruyne has revealed he “probably won’t” play for Manchester City at the revamped Club World Cup next month.

The 33-year-old is set to leave the club when his contract expires this summer, with Premier League games against Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium and a trip to Fulham potentially his last in a City shirt.

De Bruyne has helped City to six Premier League titles and the Champions League since signing in 2015, but suggested after their 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final that the timing of the new competition will likely hinder his ability to take part.

“It does not make any sense,” De Bruyne was quoted as saying by a number of national newspapers after the Wembley final. “But that happens when you push in new tournaments in the middle of a contract situation.

“I have to take care of myself, because if I get injured in the Club World Cup, what am I going to do? Nobody’s going to take care of me at that point, so there’s a big chance I probably won’t play it, but I don’t know, maybe yes.”

Egyptian side Al Ahly and Inter Miami open the United States-hosted Club World Cup on June 14, while City first face off against Moroccan outfit Wydad AC in Philadelphia four days later.

This summer will also feature two transfer windows, the first of which will open from June 1 to 10, and the main window which will run from June 16 to September 1.

The first of those windows is an additional registration period created by FIFA which national associations could adopt if they had teams involved in the Club World Cup – effectively allowing players in De Bruyne’s situation to stay on short-term.

The Belgium international says he is not in a rush to make a decision about his future, but did not rule out a move to another Premier League club and admitted he has already had conversations with some suitors.

Asked after the FA Cup final if he ideally wants to stay in the English top flight, De Bruyne said: “I don’t know. It depends who comes.

“I have a family, I have young kids, I have to take care of a decision (that) suits everybody, not just me. When I was 20 years old and by myself, I could make a decision that was very easy, but now it’s a bit more complex.”

Quizzed further as to whether or not his next employers could be English, he simply replied: “Maybe.”

Eberechi Eze’s 16th-minute strike at Wembley proved enough for Palace to secure their first major silverware and a maiden proper European campaign, while it was another disappointment for Pep Guardiola’s men, who are still fighting for a Champions League place next season.

“Of course it’s not been the season that we wanted,” De Bruyne added. “We want to win all the time, but this season we have not done it. You have to take it on the chin, and sometimes it doesn’t go the way that you want to, but we tried, and you have to move on.

“(Losing the final) doesn’t affect what we’ve done in 10 years. I think comparing to a lot of players, I’ve won way more than others, so I will be forever happy and grateful for what we have done as a team, what they have given me.”