Kevin De Bruyne aims to make an early 2024 comeback for Manchester City as he approaches the final stages of recuperation from a hamstring injury.
The Belgian midfielder faced setbacks with a severe hamstring issue during the previous,
Champions League final and had only 49 minutes of play at the beginning of the 2023/24 season before sustaining another injury that led to necessary surgery for correction.
In recent weeks, De Bruyne likened his hamstrings to “wet kitchen towel,” acknowledging the severity of the injury.
He mentioned uncertainty regarding a return date until a follow-up scan later in the month.
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Following the scan, speaking as a guest at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix’s season-ending event on Sky Sports F1, De Bruyne revealed that a 2024 return is now in the plans.
“It’s going well, getting along,” he said of his recovery. “Still got a little way to go, but we’ll be there.”
Asked for a potential return date, De Bruyne added: “Hopefully something close after the New Year, if everything goes well.”
City’s upcoming schedule includes Champions League matches against RB Leipzig and Crvena zvezda in December,
alongside six Premier League fixtures before year-end. Despite Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa being the next opponents in the league, De Bruyne won’t be ready to play against either team.
Moreover, he’ll be absent for City’s debut in the FIFA Club World Cup, set to commence on December 19 with a semi-final match against either Leon from Mexico or Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds.
The final and third-place play-off are slated for December 22 in Saudi Arabia, a mere five days before City’s return to England to take on Everton.
