'Kevin de Bruyne Still in Man City': Pep Guardiola Hits Back After Manchester United Swoop In City’s Key Member

Pep Guardiola has directed a slight dig towards Manchester United after the Red Devils swooped in their rivals Manchester City’s Chief Football Operations Officer Omar Berrada. Ahead of their FA Cup clash against Tottenham Hotspur, the City coach was asked in the press conference if Berrada had taken the club’s trade secrets along with him. As per Sky Sports Premier League, Guardiola promptly hit back with, “Yes, but Kevin de Bruyne is still in Man City. He will play here. Erling Haaland will play here.”

While Guardiola believed that City had lost a key member, he felt that it wasn’t what would get the club back to the top. “In the end, it’s not so simple like that…You know that?…Otherwise the power of United would’ve done it before,” he concluded.

In the same press conference, Guardiola further said that he was happy for Omar Berrada. He spoke about how the former City Chief Football Operations Officer was one of the best people he knew at the club. Guardiola hopes that Berrada finds success at the new club but knows that it is not going to be that easy.

The Man City coach suggested that if Berrada manages to bring the Red Devils instant success they should probably name a stand after him.

“If it happens? Oh my god, they would have to make another stand for Omar Berrada in the future,” Guardiola said.

Manchester United have appointed Omar Berrada as the club’s new CEO. It is believed that the decision was spearheaded by United’s recent investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe who looks to reshape the club’s hierarchy. So far, it has been a difficult season for United as Erik ten Hag continues to struggle and bring out the best in the players that he currently has at his disposal. United are currently in eighth place in the Premier League table which is 11 points less than the fourth-placed Aston Villa. United’s UEFA Champions League hopes crumbled completely after they finished at the bottom of their group. They finished the group stage behind Bayern Munich, FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray.

Manchester City, on the other hand, are still actively contending for the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup. In the EFL Cup, Guardiola’s men didn’t make it past the third round of the tournament against Newcastle United. They lost that match 0-1 at St James Park back in September last year. The only goal of the match was scored by Alexander Isak in the 53rd minute.

Speaking of their FA Cup game against Spurs, City ended their curse at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Nathan Ake bagged a finish in the 88th minute to qualify for the next stage of the ongoing competition. In the Premier League, City are currently trailing Liverpool by five points with one game in hand and in the Champions League they will be facing Copenhagen in the Round of 16.