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The Belgian maestro bids farewell to the Etihad after a decade of brilliance, 16 trophies, and unforgettable memories with the Cityzens
Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne has announced he will leave the club when his contract ends this summer. The 33-year-old midfielder has been at City for 10 years and has won 16 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023.
De Bruyne shared the news on social media, writing an emotional message:
“Every story comes to an end, and this has been the best chapter of my life. Football brought me to this city, not knowing it would change everything. Manchester became our home. The club, the fans, the people – they gave me everything. And I gave it all back. And guess what – we won it all.”
He added that Manchester will always hold a special place in his heart and his family’s hearts. “Suri, Rome, Mason, Michele and I are forever grateful. This place is part of our lives now – it’s on our kids’ passports and in our hearts.”
De Bruyne has played 413 games for City and scored 106 goals. This season, however, he has only started 19 matches due to injuries.
City manager Pep Guardiola praised De Bruyne, calling him “one of the greatest midfielders to ever play in this country.” He compared his influence to that of other club legends like Vincent Kompany, Sergio Aguero, and David Silva.
“It’s a sad day but also a happy one because I had the joy of working with him,” Guardiola said. “What Kevin gave us—his talent, his personality, and his role in our success over the last decade—was incredible. He’ll always be part of the City family, and the doors are open for him forever.”
Manchester City also confirmed they plan to give De Bruyne a special tribute before the season ends.
In a statement, the club said, “Kevin De Bruyne will leave City this summer after a brilliant 10 years. A global football icon, he played 413 matches and scored 106 goals – the first City midfielder to hit 100 since Colin Bell. The club and fans will celebrate him properly with a farewell tribute.”
De Bruyne joined City in 2015 from German club Wolfsburg for £55 million. At the time, he had already shown great promise but it was under Guardiola, who joined City in 2016, that De Bruyne became one of the world’s top midfielders. Guardiola moved him into a central midfield role where he flourished, becoming key to City’s success.
One of his biggest achievements was helping City win their first-ever Champions League title in 2023 by beating Inter Milan in the final.
But over the past few seasons, De Bruyne has struggled with injuries. He missed almost five months last season and has played just 26 games across all competitions. He was also sidelined for much of this season with a thigh injury and paused contract talks while recovering.
Last summer, there were rumors linking him with a move to Saudi Arabia, and De Bruyne said he was “open to everything.”
It’s possible he could still play for City in the group stages of this summer’s Club World Cup. But as his contract ends in June, he would need to sign a short-term extension to play in the knockout stages. FIFA has adjusted its rules to allow clubs to sign players just for that tournament.
De Bruyne began his career at Belgian club Genk before moving to Chelsea in 2012. However, he only made nine appearances for the London side and was loaned to Werder Bremen before joining Wolfsburg.
Internationally, he has played 109 times for Belgium, appearing in three European Championships and three World Cups. His biggest international success came in 2018, when Belgium finished third at the World Cup in Russia.