Kevin De Bruyne surgery seen as ‘best option’ with Man City star expected to be ruled out until 2024

Manchester City have been hit with a major injury setback as midfielder Kevin De Bruyne risks being sidelined for the remainder of the calendar year.

The 32-year-old suffered another hamstring injury during Manchester City’s 3-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor on Friday evening – the Belgian midfielder’s first start for the Sky Blues since the UEFA Champions League Final.

De Bruyne was devastatingly forced off during last season’s Champions League Final win against Inter Milan due to a hamstring tear, and as a result, didn’t feature in any of Manchester City’s three pre-season matches.

The midfielder had been recovering ahead of schedule, with the Belgium international’s cameo appearance against Arsenal in the FA Community Shield seen as a surprise.

De Bruyne underwent tests to discover the extent of the injury on Monday, and was subsequently left out of Manchester City’s 22-man travelling squad for the UEFA Super Cup Final on Wednesday.

City face Sevilla at the Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis in Athens in midweek, bidding to win their first trophy of the campaign.

Pep Guardiola will be without senior trio Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne for the clash, however the Manchester City manager is at risk of being without the latter for an extended period of time.

Pieter-Jan Calcoen of Belgium outlet Nieuwsblad reports that De Bruyne could miss the remainder of the calendar year due to the hamstring injury sustained during the win over Burnley.

The 32-year-old may have to undergo surgery on the hamstring injury, sidelining the midfielder until early 2024.

Surgery is reportedly considered as the ‘best solution’ for the Manchester City star, although a final decision has not yet been made.

De Bruyne, who is integral to Guardiola’s squad, will also be hoping to be fit for the European Championships this summer, which are due to take place in Germany.

The midfielder registered 16 assists and scored seven Premier League goals last season, netting a crucial brace against Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in April.

Manchester City are due to play 21 Premier League matches between now and the end of January 2024, with De Bruyne’s injury at risk of hugely impact the Blues’ Premier League title hopes.

Guardiola’s side will also have the Champions League, Carabao Cup and FIFA Club World Cup to contend with during the remainder of the calandar year.

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