Kevin De Bruyne is about to leave Manchester City and is not happy about that. One of the greatest midfielders of the Premier League era has realized that football is a cruel sport.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has shown that cruelty in the opposite direction by rejecting Liverpool's offer for a luxurious new contract.
The English defender left the club he joined at the age of 6 as a free player. However, at his peak, the 26-year-old has a strong position to choose between staying at Anfield and leaving.
On the contrary, for De Bruyne, it is a different story.
The Belgian has helped Man City win six Premier League titles, one Champions League, two FA Cups and five Carabao Cups during his time at the club. The Belgian midfielder has scored 108 goals and 177 assists in 418 appearances since arriving at the Etihad in the summer of 2015. However, De Bruyne will turn 34 at the end of June and Man City have decided that his future is no longer at the Etihad.
"I was obviously a little surprised, but I have to accept it. I haven't received any offers for the whole year, they just make decisions," De Bruyne said last month.
Despite being the Citizens' greatest player since completing a £55 million transfer deal, the club's board have concluded that De Bruyne's time is over and he now has no choice but to leave the Etihad.
"Many teammates have said it's sad for me to leave, but sometimes in life, it's normal. I don't know what the future will be like" - De Bruyne shared after scoring the only goal in Man City's 1-0 win over Wolves in the Premier League.
It is unusual for players to speak up like De Bruyne. When Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole were left out by Chelsea at the end of their contracts in 2014, both left Stamford Bridge in a positive spirit, accepting that it was time to leave.
John personal also expressed similar feelings when leaving Chelsea 3 years later. In contrast, De Bruyne has been outspoken. He clearly feels there is still work to be done as a Man City player.
However, few clubs are proficient in calculating the timing of the player's departure like Man City. David Silva, Vincent Kompany and Sergio Aguero all left the Etihad after their contracts expired.
De Bruyne could argue that his performances in recent weeks have shown him much to contribute. However, clubs like Man City make contract decisions based on what a player can do in 12 to 24 months. They do that with data collected from training performance, fitness and injury recovery time as well as what happens on the pitch.
De Bruyne's recent achievements will ring the alarm bells because, with him in his mid-30s, his numbers show a significant decline.
Since having to leave the field in the Champions League final against Inter Milan in Istanbul in June 2023 due to a hamstring injury, De Bruyne has missed 40 of the total 109 matches he can play for Man City due to injury problems.
De Bruyne has only started 17 of the Citizens' 35 Premier League games this season, coming on as a substitute in eight. five consecutive appearances are De Bruyne's longest uninterrupted streak in the Premier League 2024-2025 with a total of 4 goals scored.
De Bruyne has been a Man City player in previous big matches, scoring decisive goals against title contenders and strong teams in the Champions League. However, his goals this season have been against Ipswich, Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Wolves, Leyton Orient and Plymouth.
Pep Guardiola was tactful when asked about his decision not to renew De Bruyne. He mentioned his past achievements and contributions. The Spaniard believes it is "nearly impossible" to replace De Bruyne.
"He's an incredible player, but that's the situation at the moment," Guardiola said after De Bruyne's decisive goal against Wolves last week. This is perhaps Guardiola's last comment on De Bruyne with the most honest fact.
When a player has completed his mission and signs of decline appear, even the best must leave. De Bruyne is in pain right now, but he just needs to look at his numbers to realize that Man City are not wrong.
