Replacing Kevin De Bruyne will be "almost impossible"- Man City boss Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has admitted that replacing Kevin De Bruyne at Manchester City will be “almost impossible” – but stopped short of suggesting the club should reconsider the midfielder’s departure.

De Bruyne recently confirmed that this season will be his last at City, stating he intends to see out his contract before leaving in the summer – a decision he reportedly isn’t entirely happy with.

Some fans have expressed hope that the Belgian’s recent resurgence in form, including his match-winning goal against Wolves on Friday, might convince the club to offer him a new deal.

However, despite Guardiola praising the 33-year-old’s quality and influence, he gave no indication that a contract extension is being considered.

Kevin De Bruyne scored in his penultimate game at Etihad Stadium as Man City beat Wolves 1-0 on Friday

He told Sky Sports: “His contribution in the game against Crystal Palace when we were 2-0 down and he delivers and today the goal again.

“I’m happy that it is finishing that way, and we have one more game in the Etihad.”

Kevin De Bruyne is destined to be remembered as Manchester City’s greatest-ever player, and his legacy will likely see him included in many all-time Premier League XIs due to his outstanding contributions over the past decade.

Guardiola added: “I want the best for Kevin so it cannot be possible to have done these many years without him.

“He has been an incredible player but the situation is what it is. It’s almost impossible to replace this kind of player.

“It is not just the performance, it is what he means to the heart for our fans for many, many years. The success we have belongs to the players.”