On Friday, Kevin De Bruyne announced his departure from Manchester City at the end of the season. Since joining City from Wolfsburg in 2015, De Bruyne, 33, has won 14 major titles, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023.
“Writing about this is difficult, but football players know it will happen. The day has arrived, and you deserve to hear it from me first “De Bruyne posted on social media.
Football brought me to you and this city. Following my dream without understanding it will transform my life. The City. The club. These people gave me everything. I had to return [Everything]! What? We won everything.”
City’s ascension to English football dominance is due to the Belgian international. He won players’ player of the year in 2019/2020 and 2020/2021. With 118 assists and 106 goals in 413 City games, De Bruyne ranks second in Premier League history.
“He’s one of the greatest we’ve seen,” remarked Guardiola.
“His assists, goals, and final-third vision are hard to duplicate. His work here over the previous decade is amazing.”
Kevin De Bruyne’s contract expires at the end of June, although it’s uncertain if he will play in the Club World Cup from June 14 to July 13.
“Every story comes to an end, but this has definitely been the best chapter,” he said. Enjoy these last moments together!
De Bruyne has been connected to the Saudi Pro League and MLS. Injury issues have reduced the City captain’s influence in previous seasons. He missed five months last season with a hamstring strain. Despite Pep Guardiola’s side’s struggles to meet their 10-year standards, he has started only 21 of City’s 47 matches in all competitions this season.
Manchester City are fifth in the Premier League, 22 points behind Liverpool, and Real Madrid defeated them 6-3 on aggregate in the Champions League play-offs. Kevin De Bruyne has over 100 caps as part of Belgium’s golden generation that placed third at the 2018 World Cup and quarterfinals of Euro 2016 and 2020 but failed to win a major event.
After succeeding at Genk in his native Belgium, De Bruyne was released by Chelsea after nine Premier League games. After joining Wolfsburg, he was named German player of the season in 2014/15 as his team finished second to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.
City’s $72 million transfer of Kevin De Bruyne to Manchester was questioned considering his troubles at Chelsea. He swiftly proved his naysayers wrong and became a vital member of Guardiola’s team that had one of English football’s most dominant runs.
City were the first English top-flight team to reach 100 points, capturing Guardiola’s first title in 2017/18. First domestic trifecta of Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup followed in 2018/19.
Manchester City became the only English team to win the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup in 2022/23, matching Manchester United. They also became the first team to win four successive English top-flight titles last season.
