The video will start in 8 Cancel

Get the day's biggest City stories delivered straight to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

The uncomfortable truth for Vincent Kompany may be that his most influential role for Manchester City is no longer on the pitch - but in the television studio.

The Belgian international’s future is shrouded in uncertainty after three injury-ravaged seasons.

In recent times he has become more of a travelling mascot and well-dressed cheerleader than rock in the heart of defence.

A proud man and club legend, that cannot sit well with the 30-year-old.

And he cannot help but sense the mood music that his time at the Etihad is nearing an end.

But rather than leading them on the pitch - he can become an equally authoritative figure in front of the cameras.

It is an area in which City are lacking in this age of wall-to-wall televised football.

It is a landscape dominated by former Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal players.

Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and Phil Neville ensure United are well represented across Sky, BT Sport and the BBC.

For Liverpool Jamie Carragher, Jamie Redknapp, Graeme Souness and Danny Murphy do likewise, while Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Lee Dixon and Martin Keown give a voice to Arsenal.

When it comes to City, it’s a case of Richard Dunne or Shay Given.

With the greatest respect, they do not carry the same weight.

Steve McMannaman and Owen Hargreaves may be a former City players - but are hardly considered a voices of the club.

(Image: Instagram/Vincent Kompany)

If Kompany’s efforts during last summer’s Euros are anything to go by, he represents an articulate and authoritative presence.

Crucially, he is relevant.

A symbol of City’s modern era as a force in domestic and European football.

Like Neville, Scholes and Carragher he is recent link to the dressing room culture of the club. A man who can offer genuine insight as well as resonating with the fans.

He would also do Pep Guardiola a huge favour.

What to do with Kompany is one of the biggest dilemmas facing City ahead of a summer of major change.

It is a political nightmare.

Kompany symbolises City in the modern era.

A pre-Sheikh Mansour signing - just - he flourished alongside the megastars subsequently enticed to the club in the age of Abu Dhabi riches.

Nearly £200m has been spent on centre backs since Kompany’s £6m move from Hamburg - days before City’s takeover in August 2008. But none of those recruits have even come close to rivaling his influence.

Guardiola, like Manuel Pellegrini before him, has lived through the headache of filling the chasm left by Kompany’s increasingly frequent absences.

He opted to give his captain time to prove he can return to his full powers when taking over last summer - but yet another campaign has been decimated by injuries to his groin and knee, as well as concussion.

Finding a long-term partner for John Stones is among Guardiola’s transfer priorities at the end of the season - but the issue of what to do with Kompany remains.

With two years left on his contract, he can’t simply be ushered out of the door.

And with a catalogue of injuries behind him, finding a club willing to pay his salary of around £130,000-a-week - let alone a fee - will be a tall order.

Guardiola can’t be seen to be ending the career of such an iconic figure - but he can’t find a place for him in his team either.

Retirement may well be the most convenient solution - even if Kompany will take some convincing.

His powers on the pitch may be on the wain - but his influence off it could be more than ever.