With a year remaining on his contract, Manchester City great Kevin De Bruyne is still producing for the team, but is he still marketable?
Kevin De Bruyne has not played for Manchester City for a significant portion of the season.
After five months on the sidelines, the Belgian has experienced some niggles since returning from his injury sustained in the Premier League opener against Burnley. De Bruyne completed a stellar run that saw him equalize against Real Madrid, set up Bernardo Silva in the FA Cup semifinal, and then score an incredible header against Brighton. On the weekend, he recorded his 14th and 15th assists of the season, setting up Josko Gvardiol and Erling Haaland in the 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.
The Saudi Pro League is on the lookout for the biggest names in the game to grow the competition that Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte headed to last season. His form and the fact that he only has one year left on his current contract have definitely alerted the league. Although it has been unthinkable to sell De Bruyne for a long time, our writers wonder if that is still the case as the summer transfer window draws near.
Bajkowski, Simon
“Kevin De Bruyne’s struggles this season are evident in the fact that the question of whether City could function without him hasn’t been quickly written off. De Bruyne defied science by persevering through his injury towards the end of the previous season, but 20 minutes after making a comeback, he had another serious hamstring strain during the Champions League final.
“City had to live without him for five months, and they’ve wondered before how long a Belgian with injury issues can stay out of it. During his absence, Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez both made significant contributions to the party. As a result, there is now a greater sense of regret every time De Bruyne isn’t present.
However, Foden acknowledges that while De Bruyne is on it, he still has the status of king. Even though he hasn’t played as much as anyone would have liked this season, he still has more assists (15) than any other Premier League player in all competitions despite missing five months due to injury. This man is gifted beyond measure.
“Due to Foden’s aging and development, City should think about making a summer bid for De Bruyne—but only for ridiculous sums of money. The Saudi Pro League should consider accepting an offer of £100 million for a player who turns 33 in June.
“Even for a player who is getting close to the end of his contract, anything up to £50 million should be laughed off for everything he brings to the team. Even if it would yield nearly the same amount of money that City paid for him back in 2015, his value is still too high.
Like Kompany, De Bruyne never lets up and always comes back stronger than before. And like Kompany, he ought to have the option to choose the conditions under which he departs from City.”
Marshall Tyrone
“We definitely feel as though De Bruyne’s final phase is drawing near. At 33 years old, he has experienced an increase in injuries and appears to have fatigue at different times during the season. Since he isn’t exactly the most naturally gifted athlete, it makes sense that his abilities could be fading a little.
“However, it still seems premature to end his career with City. He has proven how good he is by recording 15 assists in his last 20 games, and the second half of this season has seen some of his best play. Remember the accolades he was getting in January at Newcastle, and his incredible impact off the bench?
Since then, he has played in a number of quiet games, many of which have been against stronger teams. One prominent example is Arsenal, who struggled to get going against Real Madrid. On this side, though, his influence is still evident, and when he plays well, everything can come together.
“De Bruyne might sit out a few more games next season to give Foden more time to lead the team, something he has proven he is more than capable of doing this season. Foden is clearly improving centrally, and while I wouldn’t be selling him this summer, it’s possible.
Joe Bray
A few weeks ago, if you had asked me, I would have said that De Bruyne needs to take a nap more than anything else. Although he has been helping and scoring important goals in recent weeks, did he perform to his customary high level overall?
Fortunately, he has decisively shown me and any other skeptics wrong in the last two appearances. He has been producing goals consistently since returning from injury, and he was outstanding at Brighton and contributed two assists that won the game at Nottingham Forest. After that, he was sidelined for five months due to injury, but he still holds the record for most assists among Premier League players across all competitions.
“Therefore, I understand why his future is being questioned. Perhaps Phil Foden’s outstanding play at number ten has raised that question. However, any other viewpoint becomes obsolete when De Bruyne scores against Real Madrid, wins games on his own at Palace and Forest, and plays to a high standard twice in three days.
“De Bruyne is a player who gives everything no matter what condition he is in, making him superior to any other player on the field even when he is only partially fit. The only thing that will convince people to keep him and keep building the team around him for the upcoming season is his ability to score and assist despite any lingering fitness concerns. As long as he remains healthy, no amount of money could match what he can offer the Blues.”
Flintham, Jack
“The question of De Bruyne’s future would have centered around what a reasonable summertime bid would have been to sell him for prior to the start of the new year. Injury derailed last season’s conclusion, and it began this one similarly.
The Belgian playmaker was so ineffective that it was possible to argue that the Blues could have played better without him. But since coming back, De Bruyne has improved Guardiola’s team and has surprisingly found his way back into the City lineup.
“At this point, the question is whether or not City can afford to give him a free transfer in 2025. That could have a yes answer.
Like every player, De Bruyne has a limited amount of time left on the field, but right now he’s playing well enough to be useful to the team. The £54 million they paid for him in 2015 has already been more than reimbursed by him.
“I doubt anyone would hold the club responsible for not making a profit sooner if he rode off into the sunset like Ilkay Gundogan. Additionally, it would be wise business for him to sign a contract extension, delaying the need to find a replacement even though Phil Foden is more than willing to take over.
“To be honest, City does not need to sell De Bruyne in order to raise money for squad upgrades, which is a nice position to be in. Even if Saudi Arabia submits a £100 million bid, there’s not much reason to part ways with the playmaker unless he wants to go.”
Tom Coley
“De Bruyne feels like Mohamed Salah at Liverpool, and he plays the same position at City. This legendary player from the Premier League suffered an injury and was unable to fully recover. Not surprising that he’s in his 30s.
However, it is still unimaginable to sell a player who is still able to win games on his own. Any doubts about his future seemed to vanish in December when he made his comeback against Newcastle, scoring and setting up goals in a way that said, ‘I’m back, and I’m still better than everyone else.
However, and this is still a big if, City’s cold, calculating workings would find it difficult to turn down a sizable offer. They have offloaded other elite players at times when other teams would not have, though not to the same extent as De Bruyne. Perhaps a significant portion of it is up to De Bruyne.
The City owes him this choice. If he thinks he has something more to offer—and, to be honest, why not? Then, he has accomplished more than enough to be allowed to leave on his own terms or, alternatively, to stay and fulfill whatever role Guardiola has in mind for him.
“De Bruyne is useful whether he plays deeper or makes fewer appearances and starts. Without him, City would have been far weaker, and his caliber is more important than winning.”
Johnson, Isaac
“Kevin De Bruyne must make his own decisions; he will undoubtedly be immortalized in bronze at some point in the future. Given that he leads the assists chart with 15 despite missing the first half of the season, selling him seems, to put it mildly, premature.
“Due to Phil Foden’s incredible play, City has plenty of replacements, but longevity is unavoidably a concern. But if it’s a Champions League final or title match, you still start De Bruyne at No. 10 over Foden.
“Within the next 12 months, when his contract expires, that could change. It makes sense that there is a push to maximize player sales and ensure profits in the FFP era of today.
“However, will City ever come close to the £55 million they spent on him in 2015? Is a sour ending to a legendary stay worth the risk? Even if it means he leaves for free the following year, I would say no.
In addition, he has more than reimbursed the club for his transfer fee. If City chose not to renew rather than to give him notice in advance, the ending would be more organic and tender. De Bruyne is one person who merits some breathing room.”
