Don't stress it - De Bruyne relaxed over initial Man City contract talks

Dom Farrell

Don't stress it - De Bruyne relaxed over initial Man City contract talks image

Kevin De Bruyne is happy to focus on extending his fabulous form on the field, with preliminary talks over a new contract at Manchester City having already taken place.

KDB 11/10 to score v Burnley

The Belgium international impressed once more as Pep Guardiola's side made it three wins out of three in Champions League Group F on Tuesday, holding out for a pulsating 2-1 triumph over Napoli.

Ahead of the match, De Bruyne's agent Patrick De Koster stated he would seek to use the astronomical wages paid by Paris Saint-Germain to Neymar and Kylian Mbappe as benchmarks when discussing fresh terms with the Premier League leaders.

Neymar is reported to earn €600,000 per week at the Parc des Princes, while City are understood to have De Bruyne on a current weekly wage in the region of £115,000.

The 26-year-old is under contract at the Etihad Stadium until 2021 and, speaking after he set up Gabriel Jesus' decisive goal against Napoli, he confirmed De Koster has met with City's director of football Txiki Begiristain to set the wheels in motion on an extension.

"My agent went already one time to Txiki," he said. "Talks are coming.

"I'm patient anyway, I don't stress it. I think I read something in the press [about his contract] but I have time."

Pep Guardiola Kevin De Bruyne Manchester City

De Bruyne is similarly at ease when it comes to assessing the hype around a succession of acclaimed showings for City, which culminated in Guardiola fielding questions comparing his midfielder's talents to Lionel Messi before the Napoli match.

"I don't care," he said. "I have to do the things that I do.

"In football you are going to have highs and lows. In football you have to live in the middle.

"I come home and just do what I always do, no matter if it's a good game or a bad game. I just like to enjoy my football, that's a big part of me.

"I put a lot of passion in what I do and I like to win."

The precision low cross for Jesus in the 13th minute marked De Bruyne's seventh assist in all competitions this season.

His impeccable deliveries during last weekend's demolition of Stoke City were the talking point of a 7-2 win where the ex-Wolfsburg man did not actually get on the scoresheet himself.

Being cast as his team's chief provider is a role De Bruyne has long relished.

Kevin De Bruyne Manchester City Champions League

"Obviously, the team knows better and better the way I play [but] I think if you check my assists, what I did before in Germany and Belgium, a lot of times it's the same," he said.

"The way I think is it's great to get a player in a scoring position. If I can give that ball I will give it because I think at that time in the game it’s the right pass for me."

De Bruyne clattered the crossbar with a fine strike against the Serie A pacesetters, part of an eventful outing that also featured him exchanging cross words with colleagues David Silva and Fernandinho.

A late first-half booking was the source of the playmaker's ire, with his senior team-mates bearing the brunt as he sought to remonstrate with the fourth official at half-time.

But De Bruyne was happy to report the trio's midfield marriage was quickly back on track.

"We had a little discussion at the time, it happens," he added. "There's nothing wrong. After one minute, it's over.

"At home I get some arguments with my wife. I think it's normal."

Dom Farrell

Dom Farrell Photo

Dom is the senior content producer for Sporting News UK. He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc. Prior to that, he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry, primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies. Dom has covered major football events on location, including the entirety of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup in Paris and St Petersburg respectively, along with numerous high-profile Premier League, Champions League and England international matches. Cricket and boxing are his other major sporting passions and he has covered the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko live from ringside.