Premier League champions Manchester City have been dealt a huge setback after attacking midfielder Kevin de Bruyne sustained a knee injury in training yesterday.
“Kevin De Bruyne is undergoing tests on his right knee after sustaining an injury at training on Wednesday,” said the City statement. “The extent of the problem is not yet known and we will bring you further updates on Kevin’s condition in due course.”
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The Manchester Evening News called de Bruyne’s knee injury “serious” and compared it to the one he suffered against Everton in 2016. He went on to miss “a big chunk” of the 2015-2016 season, the paper said.
The Guardian adds that de Bruyne could miss up to three months of action.
City defender Kyle Walker believes the champions have enough strength in their squad to cope without de Bruyne, if he is ruled out for a lengthy amount of time.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Walker said: “Kevin is a great player and it’s just unfortunate that it’s happened to him in training but there’s more than enough depth in the squad.
“We don’t just rely on one player. It’s a team game and whoever steps in will do well. Obviously it’s a big loss but we’ve got more than enough cover.”