“I am certain” – Kevin De Bruyne sends warning to Manchester City competitors and Premier League rivals

Manchester City and Belgium star Kevin De Bruyne has sent a firm warning to Premier League rivals ahead of his return to action in the coming weeks.

Pep Guardiola’s star playmaker has been out of action since early August, but is now entering the final weeks of his long-term recovery process, with excitement building over a much-anticipated return.

City’s Catalan coach has been forced to largely reinvent his tactical set-up over the last few weeks to accommodate for De Bruyne’s absence, with a number of players taking up the attacking midfield role to ensure creativity does not go amiss.

Julian Alvarez has largely been the man to fill in for De Bruyne, but his place in that position could be placed into doubt with the Belgian’s return, and the former Chelsea and Wolfsburg man has now sent a stern warning to rivals of Manchester City over his ambitions in terms of performance levels when he returns to the squad.

As per comments relayed by the Manchester Evening News this week, Kevin De Bruyne has set himself a clear target of becoming the best player in world football upon returning to the field of play in the coming weeks.

“I want to be the best,” Kevin De Bruyne admitted. “It just doesn’t stop. I want to be in the best team, I want to be the best player in the world. I still have the motivation every day.”

He continued, “Even being out for four months, I have tried to find ways to change myself as a player so I can still do what I did before. I am certain I will be fine once I am back on the pitch. I hope to just keep on playing good football and that is good enough.”

The 32-year-old attacking midfielder first sustained a hamstring problem during the first-half of Manchester City’s UEFA Champions League final success in Istanbul, forcing an early withdrawal from the game as he was replaced by Phil Foden.

That same muscular issue was further aggravated during the first-half of Manchester City’s Premier League opener this season, with De Bruyne forced off the field at Turf Moor against Vincent Kompany’s Burnley side.

With conversations and discussions held over the next best steps for Kevin De Bruyne, it was decided in late August that surgery would be the best direction to take, leaving the Belgium international captain out until the turn of new year at the very earliest.