Kevin De Bruyne Confirms Manchester City Exit After Decade of Success
There are departures that leave a void. Not just in a line-up or a tactical blueprint, but in the soul of a club. Kevin De Bruyne’s announcement that he will leave Manchester City at the end of the season signals such a moment—a farewell not merely to a player, but to an identity built over a decade.
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Since arriving from Wolfsburg in 2015, De Bruyne has not so much played for Man City as he has shaped what they became. Six Premier League titles. A long-awaited Champions League crown. Fourteen assists no one else saw coming and goals that danced with invention. It wasn’t just his numbers—though they are formidable—it was the cadence, the rhythm he brought to City’s dominance.
“Every story comes to an end, but this has definitely been the best chapter,” De Bruyne wrote in his goodbye message. It was heartfelt, drenched in gratitude: “These people gave me everything. I had no choice but to give everything back. And guess what – we won everything.”
Kevin De Bruyne’s impact cannot be measured by silverware alone, though few in Premier League history have such a glittering CV. Across 413 appearances, he scored 106 goals—an astonishing return for a midfielder—and redefined the role under Pep Guardiola’s stewardship. From the inside-right channel, he became the game’s most devastating architect.
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Guardiola, whose own legacy is intertwined with De Bruyne’s genius, paid tribute: “A sad day but a happy day for the fact that I had the pleasure personally to live this time with him… part of us is leaving.”
Photo: IMAGO
This isn’t just the farewell to a player. It’s the end of a generation. Guardiola grouped him with Vincent Kompany, Sergio Agüero, and David Silva—icons who elevated City to European royalty. But De Bruyne, Guardiola implied, stood even among them as “one of the greatest in this country.”
The numbers are staggering. No player has provided more assists in the Premier League since his arrival in 2015—117, to be precise. He created 827 chances, 193 of which were classed as “big chances.” He’s tied with Thierry Henry for the most assists in a single league campaign (20) and stands second all-time in assists behind only Ryan Giggs.
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And yet, somehow, he’s never won a Premier League Player of the Month award—an anomaly almost poetic in how it underlines his consistency over brilliance-in-bursts. His accolades include two Player of the Season titles, three Playmaker awards, and four City Player of the Season trophies.
At his peak, he was both conductor and soloist. Even now, aged 33 and limited by injury, he remains irreplaceable in moments that matter.
His final chapter in Manchester is likely to include a role in the Club World Cup group stages, though his contract will expire before any knockout fixtures. Guardiola left the door ajar: “It’s up to him,” he said, hinting at a possible short extension to finish the tournament. “The doors are open here for the rest of his life.”
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De Bruyne’s next destination remains uncertain. Saudi Arabia was a topic last summer. An eventual return to Belgium could appeal. But perhaps that is for later. For now, what lingers is the image of De Bruyne, arms outstretched, orchestrating, dictating, dazzling.
From Genk to Chelsea, via Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg, his journey was winding but purposeful. With Belgium, he earned 109 caps, reached three European Championships, three World Cups, and a third-place finish in Russia 2018. He’s given everything. And, in turn, received the love of a city that will now have his family’s name on its passport.
“Manchester will forever be on our kids’ passports – and more importantly, in each of our hearts,” he wrote. “This will always be our home.”
In an age where legacies are built in hashtags and hype, Kevin De Bruyne leaves something more enduring: a memory of excellence, subtlety and supremacy in a Man City shirt.
