Kevin De Bruyne will leave Manchester City when his contract expires in June, ending a decorated nine-year tenure that established him as one of the Premier League\'s most influential players.
The 33-year-old Belgian captain confirmed his departure in a statement released Friday, writing: \"Whether we like it or not, it\'s time to say goodbye. Every story comes to an end but this has definitely been the best chapter.\"
Pep Guardiola offered high praise before City\'s match against Manchester United on Sunday, calling it a \"sad day\" while acknowledging De Bruyne\'s historical significance. \"There\'s no doubt he\'s one of the greatest, for sure. Because of his consistency – except the last year, year and a half, that he had injury problems – in important games and not important games, and every three days being there.\"
De Bruyne joined City from Wolfsburg for €55 million in 2015 and went on to become the club\'s most-decorated player, collecting 16 major trophies including six Premier League titles and the Champions League.
\"Our success in the last decade, that would be impossible without him,\" Guardiola said, adding that he expects the club to honor De Bruyne with a statue outside the Etihad Stadium alongside Vincent Kompany, Sergio Agüero, and David Silva. \"I will bet a lot of money that it\'s going to happen,\" he said.
De Bruyne\'s departure marks the end of an era, as he was the final remaining player who predated Guardiola\'s 2016 arrival at the club.
Recent physical struggles have limited De Bruyne\'s playing time, with Guardiola acknowledging his need for players who can consistently perform at high intensity twice weekly. The midfielder has not been offered a contract extension.
De Bruyne\'s next destination remains undecided, though he previously mentioned openness to Saudi Arabia\'s \"incredible money\" in June last year.
His contract will technically expire during the Club World Cup (June 14-July 13 in the United States), with Guardiola noting: \"He has to decide, he has to talk, because now with the [Club] World Cup, it\'s a new contract, legally. Hopefully he can continue playing football in another place, and it depends on the risk, playing there, for the contracts or injuries.\"