Kevin De Bruyne reveals worrying extent of hamstring injury

Kevin De Bruyne has admitted his hamstrings felt like “wet kitchen towel” simply waiting to implode towards the end of last season.

The Belgian playmaker, who has regularly blamed football’s hectic schedule for an increase in injuries, suffered a hamstring problem in last season’s Champions League final and picked up a similar issue in the first game of the current season which forced him to undergo surgery.

De Bruyne has assured Manchester City fans his recovery is on schedule and revealed a fresh scan next week will offer a better idea of a potential return date.

“It [the recovery] is actually going very well,” De Bruyne told VTM Nieuws. “There will be a major scan next week and then we will know how the injury is progressing.

“In the end, everything is going according to schedule. City are daily in touch with surgeon Geert Declercq and Belgian physio Lieven Maesschalck, but they have not given me a deadline for when I will be able to play football again.”

He continued: “It is important that I get this [recovery] 100% right. There were a lot of cracks. Those hamstrings could have torn at any time. It was like a wet kitchen towel. I had a major maintenance carried out after 700 matches, a bit like you do with your car.”

De Bruyne confessed he was aware he was in danger towards the end of last season but expressed no regrets towards playing through the pain as City went on to win the treble.

“I had been struggling for two months, but I was able to hold on well and with the club we were able to manage everything,” he said. “I was able to arrange to be there at the right time.

“I still had a lot of stress in that final run – because of all those movements I may have made the crack a little bigger – but it was worth it.”

Reports have recently suggested City could opt to part ways with De Bruyne at the end of his current contract, which runs until 2025, but 90min understands the two parties remain keen to continue working together.