Kevin De Bruyne discusses Man City future plans, feeling ‘old’ and playing deeper

Kevin De Bruyne has said he has no immediate plans to leave Manchester City after claiming last week that he feel like an ‘old man’.

The midfielder’s status as a guaranteed starter has not always been upheld this season, with De Bruyne named on the bench in three of the last seven Premier League matches. Pep Guardiola has also said on a few occasions this campaign that he doesn’t feel the Belgian is at his best levels, and De Bruyne was asked ahead of the Champions League clash with RB Leipzig whether he’s starting to feel his age and if is thinking about his future,

“I know how it works. When you’re 18, 19 you notice these things a lot more and you know where it comes from,” he explained. “When people talk about form and how people play, it’s give and take. I know how to manage that.

“I don’t know how long I’m going to play. As long as I’m having fun I will play football. Obviously, like everybody, there will be a day where it will end but that’s not something - I’m not able to think about that yet.

“I’m would say I’m a perfectionist,” he added. “Whatever I do in football or life, I will always want it to be 100 percent. In that regard, if the time would come, that [standards dropping] is something I would think about but it’s not necessarily now.

“If I think about it at this particular time I would like to stay as high [standards] as possible for as long as possible but that isn’t only my decision. That’s something to think about but give me a little bit.”

De Bruyne was also asked if he could see himself dropping deeper in the coming years, and the City man admitted he is used to playing a central midfield role. “When I was 17 or 18 I played holding more for a couple of years and with the national team I basically played five years holding so I was one of the two mostly with Axel [Witsel],” he said.

“I’ve no idea. People say when you get older you go lower and for me it is the opposite. I’ve been low, up, left, right. I change position less now because the coach is the same but whatever will come I will try to do the job but I will never be offended. I just do what I do.”