'Okay, think about it' - Pep Guardiola issues barbed response to Julian Alvarez transfer hint & admits Kevin De Bruyne could follow David Silva route out of Man City

Guardiola addressed the swirling rumours about De Bruyne's future, following reports linking the Belgian midfielder with a potential move to the Saudi Pro League. Last week, the manager firmly stated that the midfielder is "not leaving" City, despite the interest from abroad. Although he reiterated that there have been no official offers for De Bruyne and expressed his desire for the playmaker to remain at the club, Guardiola admitted that the Belgian is free to decide his next challenge - potentially following in the footsteps of David Silva, who moved on as a free agent to Real Sociedad in 2020 after spending a decade at the club.

Speaking to reporters, Guardiola said: "The club informed me that they didn’t have an offer. I don’t know what will happen but I want him to stay. He was here before I arrived. He is the eldest (longest-serving) player here.

“It happened with David for example and other players, he has the credit to decide his future himself. What he has done for us is massive so he can decide. The information I have now is he will stay.”

Shifting focus to Alvarez, Guardiola addressed the Argentine forward's recent comments about his playing time. Alvarez, who has been integral to both City and the Argentina national team, expressed his desire to play in more significant matches as he found himself benched during key games after Erling Haaland and De Bruyne returned from injuries last season.

When questioned about Alvarez's future and whether the club would seek a replacement, Guardiola said: "I don’t think about replacing. I knew he said he will think about it. Once he has finished thinking, his agent will call Txiki [Begiristain] and we will see what happens.

“I know he wants to play in important moments, but the other players [want that] too. We have 18 or 19 players who want to play in the important games. I read he has to think about it, so okay think about it and after that he will inform us what he wants to do.”

Alvarez's comments have not gone unnoticed, with Atletico Madrid reportedly showing interest in the forward. However, no formal offer has been made, and City would demand a substantial fee to part ways with a player who is under contract until 2028.

Guardiola's message was clear to Alvarez: the player's thoughts and decisions will be respected, but the competitive nature of the squad means that everyone must earn their place in the team's most crucial moments. The next few weeks will be pivotal as it remains to be seen if the 24-year-old will indeed leave the Etihad for new pastures.