Outgoing Manchester City midfielder believes he can still do a job at the highest level
Kevin De Bruyne has said that he still has what it takes to play in the Premier League, after he scored the only goal to give Manchester City the edge against Wolves on Friday. The narrow 1-0 victory lifted the Cityzens into third place in the Premier League and brought them closer to Champions League qualification.
De Bruyne’s contract is set to expire this summer and the club has offered no renewal due to his age and injury record, which means that his smart finish after Jeremy Doku’s excellent work on the flank may be one of his final contributions for the club at the Etihad.
“I’m just trying to play as good as I can,” De Bruyne told Sky Sports after the match. “I know I’ve got one game left here, but I just try to do my job like I’ve always done.”
The Belgium international has been a central figure in the Guardiola era at City. Since arriving from Wolfsburg in 2015, he has helped the team to 18 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the club’s first Champions League crown in 2023.
There has been much speculation around his next move. A move to MLS is on the cards, and so is a move to Saudi Arabia where other ex-Premier League players such as Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo currently play.
However, staying in the Premier League is not out of the question. The midfielder suggested back in April that he was open to remaining in England if he was offered a suitable project. He suggested this again after the Wolves game.
“I don’t know [what the future holds], unfortunately. I’ve shown I can still play here or I wouldn’t have done what I’ve done in the last four or five weeks. That’s it from my point of view.”
De Bruyne’s final home appearance in a City shirt will come against Bournemouth on 20 May, with away trips to Fulham and Southampton rounding off a campaign that may still finish on a high if City can seal Champions League qualification and win the FA Cup at Wembley against Crystal Palace.
Speaking about De Bruyne, Pep Guardiola was full of praise for the impact he has made since 2015.
“His contribution has been massive,” said Guardiola. “There are players like Sergio [Aguero], like Vinny [Kompany], like Kevin, in the heart of the people.
“It’s not just the titles, the numbers, it is the contributions in terms of affection, love and passion for all of us who have been here for one decade.
“We needed him to help us to win absolutely everything, and he still is here.”
