After a decade at the heart of Manchester City’s historic rise to English football dominance, Kevin De Bruyne has confirmed he will leave the club at the end of the current season. In an emotional message to fans posted on social media, the 33-year-old Belgian midfielder revealed that his contract will not be renewed and that his time at the Etihad Stadium is coming to an end. His departure will mark the close of one of the most illustrious individual spells in Premier League history.
“This will be my final few months as a Manchester City player,” De Bruyne wrote. “Football led me here, and I gave it everything back. And guess what — we won everything.”
Since arriving from Wolfsburg in 2015, Kevin De Bruyne has redefined creativity in midfield. Known for his piercing through balls, pinpoint deliveries, and unflappable consistency, KDB became the metronome of Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering side. Over his 10 seasons, De Bruyne has helped the club secure a staggering 16 trophies — including six Premier League titles, a Champions League, and five Carabao Cups.
| Trophy | Count |
|---|---|
| Premier League | 6 |
| Carabao Cup | 5 |
| FA Cup | 2 |
| Community Shield | 2 |
| UEFA Champions League | 1 |
His personal accolades include two Premier League Player of the Season awards (2019-20, 2021-22) and a third-place finish in the 2022 Ballon d’Or voting. Only seven players have made more appearances for Manchester City than De Bruyne, who has featured in 413 matches, scored 106 goals, and provided 174 assists in all competitions.
Kevin De Bruyne leaves the Premier League as one of its most prolific creators. He ranks second in all-time Premier League assists, with 118 — trailing only Ryan Giggs (162). But in terms of efficiency, he tops the charts. In fact, no player in Europe’s top five leagues has created more chances or assisted more goals since 2015.
| Player | Assists | Minutes per Assist |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Giggs | 162 | 287 |
| Kevin De Bruyne | 118 | 177 |
| Cesc Fàbregas | 111 | 238 |
| Wayne Rooney | 103 | 369 |
| Frank Lampard | 102 | 479 |
Kevin De Bruyne’s personal numbers also remain mind-boggling:
| Season | Games Played | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 18 | 4 | 10 |
| 2022-23 | 32 | 7 | 16 |
| 2021-22 | 30 | 15 | 8 |
| 2020-21 | 25 | 6 | 12 |
| 2019-20 | 35 | 13 | 20 |
| 2018-19 | 19 | 2 | 2 |
| 2017-18 | 37 | 8 | 16 |
| 2016-17 | 36 | 6 | 18 |
| 2015-16 | 25 | 7 | 9 |
| 2013-14 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
Perhaps most impressively, De Bruyne shares the single-season Premier League assist record (20) with Thierry Henry and holds the record for the best minutes-per-assist ratio in league history (min. 50 games).
The Belgian’s departure leaves an enormous gap in both leadership and creativity, but he might not be done adding silverware. City, though almost impossibly, remain in contention for the Premier League title and face Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup semifinals.
With his exit now confirmed, speculation turns to Kevin De Bruyne’s next chapter. Sources have linked him with moves to both Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League. While nothing is official yet, what is certain is that any league he joins will be welcoming one of football’s most visionary midfielders.
As the curtain prepares to fall on a glittering decade at the Etihad, Kevin De Bruyne leaves behind a legacy of trophies, assists, and timeless brilliance. Manchester City will eventually find another playmaker, but they may never find another quite like KDB.