De Bruyne, whose contract expires in 2025, said last month that he does not rule out a change, but Guardiola believes there will not be major changes.
The manager of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, has said that reports linking Kevin De Bruyne with a departure from the club are not correct amid speculation that the Belgian midfielder could move to Saudi Arabia.
De Bruyne, whose contract expires in 2025, said last month that he does not rule out a change, but Guardiola believes that there will not be major changes in the team before the transfer window closes on August 30.
“Kevin will not go,” said Guardiola at a press conference at North Carolina State University before their first match of the U.S. tour against Celtic.
“I am delighted with the squad for many years. I don’t know what will happen in the market; if someone leaves, we will talk about that.
“But 85-95% of the team will be the same. We have made an impact in the market [over the years] and each situation is different. I feel comfortable because the quality we have in the team is difficult to replace.”.
The City signed Brazilian winger Sávio, 20, last week, and Guardiola confirmed that Kalvin Phillips, who was on loan at West Ham United, has been training with the first team.
“[Sávio] can play wide, and when it’s one-on-one, he’s devastating,” added Guardiola.
“He is young, and bringing in one or two players to keep things fresh is necessary, but we cannot change six or seven. It is impossible and unsustainable.
“Many players want to come here, but we do not reach agreements with the clubs, and when they ask for a very high price, we do not proceed.”.
The City will start their title defense in the Premier League against Chelsea on August 18.