De Bruyne to Saudi, next Liverpool FC manager – what we learned from Pep Guardiola press conference

In recent press conferences, Pep Guardiola has not been in much of a mood to chat. After Manchester City’s win at Bournemouth, he had something to say as he revealed his squad were suffering from fatigue, but generally, he has reflected a manager growing tired himself of regular meetings with the media.

With the fatigue comments in mind, the expectations for the FA Cup preview for the Luton trip were low. But Guardiola has a tendency to surprise, and he was in a far better mood in front of the cameras as he discussed City’s ‘defining’ fixture list in March, Jack Grealish’s fitness and how the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal have been celebrating recent results.

In his embargoed section of the press conference, Guardiola was in a similarly chatty form. Asked about Kevin De Bruyne’s future and Jurgen Klopp’s replacement at Liverpool, he wouldn’t comment directly, but what he did say was interesting coming from the City manager.

De Bruyne to Saudi Arabia links
It was a matter of time before Kevin De Bruyne was the latest superstar to be linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League. He fits the bill as a huge name, over 30 years old, and who may fancy a final big pay-day before retiring. Guardiola told reporters to ask the Belgian himself over the legitimacy of the rumours, but he did insist that he wants his talisman to stay and end his career at the Etihad.

“It’s a question for him, I’d love him to stay but I don’t know,” the manager said. “I heard some links but I don’t know if there’s an offer, I don’t know if Saudi Arabia wants him. I would love him to stay until the end of his career, but everyone is everyone.”

City have a long-standing policy of not standing in a player’s way should they want to leave and present an acceptable offer. In the summer, both Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte left the Etihad Stadium for Saudi Arabia for a combined £55m. De Bruyne is under contract at City until 2025, when he will have just turned 34.

Can Alonso replace Klopp at Liverpool?
After Liverpool won the Carabao Cup on Sunday, handing Jurgen Klopp another trophy on his farewell tour, Guardiola was asked if his job would become easier or harder when the German leaves Anfield. “Liverpool will hire a good manager but lose an exceptional manager,” responded the City boss.

Later, Guardiola declined to comment on rumours linking Xabi Alonso to the Anfield job, but spoke effusively of the job his former Bayern Munich midfielder is doing at the top of the Bundesliga at Bayer Leverkusen. “If you ask me the job he’s doing, honestly… Wow,” the manager said, praising his unbeaten record in all competitions with Leverkusen. “He was such an intelligent player. Such an intelligent player.”

Guardiola continued, saying he always felt Alonso would move into management – because of his quality as a player. He said: “There are holding midfielders when they ask you questions, how curious they are about the game, you realise that this guy, if he retires and is at home he will be annoyed, nothing to do, so he will say, ‘OK, I’m going back, my business is world football’.

“Normally holding midfielders like him, [Javier] Mascherano, [Sergio] Busquets, the holding midfielders I had, Rodri, [Ilkay] Gundogan, they will be involved in football for sure because they have a global vision, the perspective is different.”

Progress on last season’s points tally
Asked if he remembered what the mood was this time last season, Guardiola admitted he couldn’t remember. Fair enough, really, given everything that has happened in the last 12 months. The thinking was that in February 2023, City were losing to Tottenham and not quite firing on all cylinders, which is similar to performances at present.

What Guardiola does remember, however, is that City actually have more points than they did at this stage last season, remaining consistent with results and, largely, performances. When the temptation is to see any City performance that is less-than-perfect as a disaster, the manager continues to see the bigger picture.