Every football fan owes a debt of gratitude to Kevin De Bruyne for what he has done for the Premier League. Not just with his goals, his assists, his brilliant football and where he ranks in the pantheon. But for making sure it carried on.
Here is a story about De Bruyne. It was during Covid. At the height of when we did not know in which direction we were heading. Remember the sense of euphoria when it was announced that the Premier League would resume on June 17, 2020 as, after a three-month lay-off, “Project Restart” was given the go-ahead?
It was De Bruyne who persuaded the players that it would be OK.
During a captains’ meeting, on a Zoom call, the mood had been not to play. There was anxiety and doubt and the prevailing sense, with concerns over player safety, was to wait – which the Premier League regarded as a catastrophe for its future. It was struggling to win the argument.
Then De Bruyne, who represented Manchester City on the call even though David Silva was captain, spoke and he swayed opinion to such a degree that one Premier League official later said they would forever owe him a debt of gratitude.
That gratitude should extend to what the Belgian achieved on the pitch. Sure, the fans of rival clubs will be glad to see the back of him and it feels like it is something of an end of an era for City with Kyle Walker unlikely to play for the club again and maybe also Bernardo Silva leaving this summer.
Kevin De Bruyne’s goals on repeat 😍 pic.twitter.com/koGuZ6jTUt
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 4, 2025
But De Bruyne’s announcement that his 10-year career at City is coming to a close with his contract expiring at the end of this campaign – when he will be close to his 34th birthday – leads to an inevitable debate: just where does he sit among the great midfielders to have graced the Premier League since its inception in formation in 1992?
If there was a Mount Rushmore of midfielders would De Bruyne’s face be one of the four to be carved upon it?
In terms of impact, ability and achievement it is relatively easy to reel off a top eight: Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard, Patrick Vieira, Frank Lampard, Yaya Toure, David Silva and De Bruyne.
Others might argue for Cesc Fabregas or Rodri or Luka Modric (although he did not remain in the Premier League long enough and his greatness was achieved at Real Madrid) while Ryan Giggs would be classified more as a winger than a midfielder.
Which leads to another question: how do you distinguish between the combative, powerful force of Keane compared to the more technical, creative attributes of De Bruyne? Toure recently named his top three as Gerrard, Lampard and Vieira with a nod to Scholes. But De Bruyne (along with Keane) must be close to the top of that list if not at the very top. His achievements are extraordinary – from his statistics, his assists, the big chances he has created and the goals he scored, to the trophies he has won.
But there is a far more subjective measure that comes into play. There is always a danger of recency bias, but De Bruyne’s artistry, allayed to his own explosiveness when he was at the height of his game and fully fit, including his ability to run with the ball, and in transition, means the case for him is a powerful one.
If this City team under Pep Guardiola, despite what has happened this season (and arguably that only serves to highlight how amazing their previous achievements have been) are regarded as the dominant force of this era then surely the player who has been their most important therefore becomes one of the Premier League greats if not its greatest? De Bruyne has been the best and most talented player in the division.
In a modern-era De Bruyne had it all. He could play as a No 10, an eight, a six, out wide or even as a false nine although the best way to describe him is as a classic playmaker, an entertaining player and a thinker. De Bruyne was superb at scanning – with that ability to look up and immediately assess his options – as football has become quicker and quicker and his passing range has been astonishing. In other words, he was a genius.
Injuries have caught up on him, as they so often do with players in his position. A lot has rightly been made of Rodri’s absence and impact it has had on City but De Bruyne’s inability to stay fit enough to remain in the team and dictate the way they play also cannot be overlooked.
Of course there is no clear answer as to who has been the Premier League’s greatest. We cannot overlook those legendary names. Of Scholes, of Gerrard, Keane, Vieira. And maybe it is those four and De Bruyne who are the top five. But neither is there any point sitting on the fence. So, let’s talk about Kevin. For me it is a contest between him and Scholes to be regarded as the best and, maybe, he edges it. Let that debate begin.
De Bruyne announces he is leaving Manchester City
Kevin De Bruyne has announced he is leaving Manchester City at the end of the season.
The 33-year-old midfielder’s contract at the Etihad runs out in the summer but De Bruyne says he will not be extending his deal beyond this campaign.
In a statement on social media, De Bruyne wrote: “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. 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.”
Telegraph Sport reported in December that clubs in Saudi Arabia are likely to show interest in him, while the City Football Group is keen to keep him within its stable of clubs around the world, such is his standing.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby, which will be De Bruyne’s last, City manager Pep Guardiola paid tribute to the Belgian.
He said: “Sad day. A happy day for the fact that the pleasure I personally lived with him. He gave to all of us with his humility and his influence in our success in the last decade. That would have been impossible to imagine without him.
“When Vincent [Kompnay] left or Sergio [Aguero] left or David Silva, it’s a sad day. We still have 10 games – hopefully 11 – that we can enjoy with our fans and he will get the love and recognition that he deserves.
“I think I read today that he’s been involved in 280 goals and assists in the Premier League. You always have to be careful for respect for players in the last 20, 30 years but, come on, there’s no doubt he’s one of the greatest for sure. His consistency, except for the last year when he had injury problems, in important games and being there all the time.”
De Bruyne signed for City in 2015 from German side Wolfsburg for £54.5 million and is regarded as one of the club’s greatest players after winning six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League.
Guardiola added: “His assists, his goals. His vision in the final third is so difficult to replace. Everyone can make actions but over how many years and games is what makes him unique. His performance during this decade has been outstanding. We’ve won a lot of trophies and he’s been involved in every single one.
“He’s part of the club. The club has said to him the door is open for the rest of his life, whatever he wants to do. He is part of the family of the club.”
In a statement, City confirmed they intend to “deliver a fitting tribute and farewell to one of the greatest players to ever play in the Premier League”.
De Bruyne has played 413 matches for the club in all competitions, scoring 106 goals and providing 174 assists.