Kevin De Bruyne Announces Departure from Manchester City: A Decade of Excellence Comes to an End
In a heartfelt announcement that has sent ripples through the football world, Kevin De Bruyne has revealed that he will be leaving Manchester City at the end of the current season. The news, which broke early on April 4, 2025, marks the end of an era for both the player and the club.
The Belgium international’s contract at the Etihad Stadium is set to expire this summer, and De Bruyne confirmed on Friday that he will be departing as a free agent. Over his 10-year tenure with Manchester City, De Bruyne has been instrumental in the club’s success, helping them secure an impressive 16 trophies. This includes six Premier League titles, five Carabao Cups, two FA Cups, two Community Shields, and a coveted Champions League trophy.
De Bruyne’s individual accolades are equally impressive. He has been named Premier League Player of the Season twice, in the 2019-20 and 2021-22 seasons. In a poignant social media post, De Bruyne addressed his fans and the football community, saying, “Seeing this, you probably realise where this is heading. So I’ll get straight to it and let you all know that these will be my final months as a Manchester City player.”
He continued, “Nothing about this is easy to write, but as football players, we all know this day eventually comes. That day is here — and you deserve to hear it from me first. Football led me to all of you — and to this city. Chasing my dream, not knowing this period would change my life. This city. This club. These people… gave me everything. I had no choice but to give everything back! And guess what — we won everything.”
De Bruyne’s emotional farewell also touched on the personal impact Manchester has had on his family. “Whether we like it or not, it’s time to say goodbye. Suri, Rome, Mason, Michèle, and I are beyond grateful for what this place has meant to our family. ‘Manchester’ will forever be on our kids’ passports — and more importantly, in each of our hearts. This will always be our home.”
De Bruyne joined City as a 24-year-old from Wolfsburg in 2015 and quickly established himself as one of the Premier League’s best-ever midfielders. His manager, Pep Guardiola, echoed this sentiment in a news conference on Friday, stating, “One of the greatest midfielders ever to have played in this country, and I think with Manchester City, there is no doubt.”
Guardiola added, “Greatest not The Greatest, always you have to be careful with players that played at Maine Road [City’s former stadium], incredible players in the last 20-30 years in this club [too]. But come on, there’s no doubt he’s one of the greatest for sure because of his consistency in important games, the not important games, being there every three days all the time. There is no doubt.”
The Spaniard revealed that he had known about De Bruyne’s decision a few days before the public announcement, but the news still carried a bittersweet feeling. “A sad day. A happy day for the fact that [I had] the pleasure personally [to] live with him. He gave all of us his humility and with his influence in our success in the last decade, that would have been impossible to imagine without him.”
De Bruyne’s impact on the pitch is undeniable. In 413 appearances for the club, he has scored 106 goals and registered a remarkable 174 assists. His creative prowess has earned him the second-most assists in Premier League history with 118, trailing only Ryan Giggs, who has 162. Since joining City in 2015, De Bruyne has created 826 chances — almost 300 more than any other Premier League player, with Christian Eriksen in second place with 532. De Bruyne’s 187 goal contributions in that span rank as the fourth most behind Mohamed Salah, Harry Kane, and Son Heung-Min.
This season, De Bruyne has featured in 20 league matches, having been sidelined by a setback in September and difficulties in regaining full fitness. As speculation mounts about his next move, De Bruyne has been linked with potential transfers to the MLS and Saudi Pro League. However, his time at City could still end on a high note, with the club set to face Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup semifinals later this month.
Information from Reuters and ESPN’s Global Sports Research contributed to this report.
Originally Written by: ESPN
