Kevin de Bruyne is the only player at Manchester City who was there before Pep Guardiola. He will leave as one of the greatest this club has seen.
Friday’s new is a shock, but not a surprise. The 33-year-old is out of contract in the summer and after a couple of campaigns in which he has been hit by injury and struggled for form, maybe it is the right time.
But it takes nothing away from what he has achieved: six Premier League titles, two FA Cup, five League Cups, one Champions League.
Throw in three times in the Uefa team of the year, twice PFA Players’ Player of the Year and a four-time City player of the year.
A wand of a foot that could cut open a defence in a split second and change a game. If you needed a moment that could turn the fortunes around, everyone would look to De Bruyne.
Even after a six-month lay-off in the 2023-24 season, he came back and still finished as the club’s highest assist-maker.
He signed as a “£55m flop” – according to one headline. He leaves having paid back every penny of that and more. A legend.
Just one question… where does his statue go?
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