Manchester City have held talks with Vincent Kompany about taking over Mikel Arteta’s role as Pep Guardiola’s number two but the Belgian isn’t ready for a return to the UK and is investing in Anderlecht where he currently is player-coach.

Arteta left City to take up the head coach role at Arsenal once the club finally got around to sacking Unai Emery. He was only just settling in when he caught Covid-19 and the Premier League was stopped in its tracks.

City replaced Arteta with first-team coach, Rodolfo Borrell, who used to work with Liverpool, and he is still working in that position but it is believed that Pep wants a full-time appointment in place before the start of the season.

Kompany, 34, however, is not quite ready to give up his playing career and his current role as player-coach at Anderlecht currently allow him to develop his coaching skills while still playing.

He made 15 appearances for them before the season was cut short and Club Brugge were declared champions. Anderlecht finished 8th, 27 points behind.

According to a report from Belgium, Anderlecht’s CEO, Karel Van Eetvelt, is delighted Kompany will be staying.

“As a player, Vincent was a top player that was wanted by large clubs and will also be wanted by many clubs as a coach or manager,” Van Eetvelt said. “But despite that interest, he still chooses Anderlecht.

“I wish that he can someday be a great manager for Manchester City but I think it would be better for him to stay with us now.

“That is the difficult road for him, but he does it with a lot of commitment. Not only will he stay longer, but he will also put money into it [the club]. That is unseen.”