Manchester City

Freddie Pye
Fan writer

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To try and summarise the transformational role played by Kevin de Bruyne on and off the pitch at Manchester City in the space of around 200 words is next to an impossible task.

That in itself is testament to his mammoth achievements over the past decade.

We are not just talking about one of Manchester City's finest footballers, but perhaps the finest ever at a club that has boasted the likes of Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee and Francis Lee of a previous generation, and David Silva, Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, and Fernandinho of more recent times.

• Rank where De Bruyne fits in the post-2008 generation of City players

This is also paying homage to a player that has redefined the global image of the Premier League, inspired an entire generation, acted as a role model for those rising in the game, and to a human being that is respected by all those within the game, and all those who watch on from the stands and beyond.

From the endless list of mouth-gapingly good assists to the big-game moments that drove Pep Guardiola's operation to unprecedented success, nothing achieved by Manchester City would have been possible without De Bruyne's involvement.

Whether that was the team-splitting assist against Stoke City back in 2017, four goals against Wolves at Molineux, a strike from distance at the Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid, altering the course of history against Aston Villa on the final day of the Premier League… We really could go on.

And what does the future hold? Who can possibly replace Kevin de Bruyne in a Manchester City shirt? The short answer is nobody. But you can get close in terms of importance to a team.

Those in charge of such a mammoth task can simply cut no corners, both financially and in terms of personnel.

From Manchester to you, Kevin: Thank you for everything!

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As Kevin de Bruyne prepares to hang up his boots at Etihad Stadium at the end of this season, it would be rude not to look back at his best goals for the current Premier League champions.

Since signing for a then club-record £55m from Wolfsburg in August 2015, the midfielder has scored 106 goals for the club - making him the first Manchester City midfielder to reach a century of goals since Colin Bell.

Choose where you would rank him in the echelons of post-2008 stars

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The schedule for the FA Cup semi-finals has been confirmed.

Saturday, 26 April

Crystal Palace v Aston Villa, 17:15 BST, BBC One

Sunday, 27 April

Nottingham Forest v Manchester City, 16:30 BST

Both ties will take place at Wembley Stadium.

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We asked for your views on what Kevin de Bruyne means to you.

Here are some of your comments:

Simon: An icon. His unmistakable ginger hair made him stand out anyway but his lung-busting runs and ability to take games by the scruff of the neck and his killer passes would have made him stand out in any event.

Noreen: I am a Newcastle United fan, but if a Man City match was on TV and De Bruyne was playing I always watched it! Football at its best! Sad to see him go! Great memories - a one in a million!

Pat: I have seen some truly wonderful players play for City over the years - Colin Bell, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero….the list goes on and on - but, for me, at his peak, KevindDe Bruyne was the best of them all. We've had technically stronger players than him but no one (I would argue in PL history) has had both the vision of KDB and the astonishing talent to be able to deliver a ball that no other player would have even seen.

Tony: KDB has given us everything and it's been a pleasure watching him play his best football for us. He's entitled to have a big hurrah and payday abroad.

Chris: King Kev...nearly as good as King Colin. Thanks Kevin for making us Cityzens so happy and proud. Wishing you and your family all the very best in the future.

Keep them coming in over here

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game at city rivals Manchester United (16:30 BST).

The news conference was unsurprisingly dominated by the the news Kevin de Bruyne will leave the club in the summer:

• Guardiola began by reacting to the news: "A sad day and a happy day for the fact we lived this time with him - what he gave to all of us, his humanity. It's not necessary to tell his success with us in the last decade - impossible to imagine without him. A sad day because a part of us is leaving."

• He hailed the Belgian as "one of the greatest midfielders ever to have played in this country", whose longevity makes him "unique" and who will always be "part of the family of this club".

• He added he will "bet a lot of money" the 33-year-old will have a statue built of him at the club.

• Guardiola was asked if De Bruyne will remain a City player in time to play in the Club World Cup this summer and said it is "a good question" but he does not know: "I think he has to decide. We have to talk because now with the World Cup it's new, and the expiry of his contract. I think the club has to talk to him or he has to say what he wants to do."

• On the circumstances around De Bruyne's exit: "I knew it days ago. It was nice. Always we had a special relationship. Kevin is a special person, a special player. A special person and a special player should be treated in a special way, and we had a conversation with that of course."

• On his feelings towards the decision: "An emotional moment. With Sergio [Aguero] for example, it wasn't easy for me to tell him we wouldn't continue. This situation is always so difficult; emotions are there, they give us too much! We are going to enjoy the last two months here together, but of course it's emotionally tough and difficult."

• Does he feel it is the right time to part ways?: "What is important is that he feels good right now. We spoke recently that he had problems because after surgery in hamstring he had problems in other parts of the body. Now, finally, he feels ready."

• Guardiola added: "The decision is made, and of course all of us wish him, [his wife] Michelle, the kids, mum and dad, absolutely the best."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Full commentary of Manchester United v Manchester City from 16:30 BST on Sunday on BBC Radio 5 Live

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Manchester City have released the following statement on their website, external following Kevin de Bruyne's announcement that he will leave the club this summer:

"Manchester City will bid an emotional farewell to Kevin de Bruyne this summer when his contract expires, bringing an end to a glittering 10-year period at the Club.

"The Belgian, a global icon of the game, has played 413 matches for City. During that period, he has scored 106 times, making him the first City midfielder since Colin Bell to reach a century of goals.

"The 33-year-old has won a remarkable 16 major honours with City, including six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups, one UEFA Champions League and two Community Shields.

"Kevin announced the news today on his personal Instagram account.

"The club and all of our fans will now take the time to deliver a fitting tribute and farewell to one of the greatest players to ever play in the Premier League."

Image source, BBC Sport

Kevin de Bruyne has confirmed he will leave Manchester City when his contract expires at the end of the season.

After joining in 2015, De Bruyne won 16 trophies with the club, including the Champions League in 2023.

But what does he mean to you?

Tell us how special his time in a City shirt has been.

And what are your favourite KDB memories?

Let us know

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Kevin de Bruyne penned an emotional farewell to Manchester City today as he confirmed he will leave after a decade at the club.

Here is his announcement in full:

Dear Manchester,

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.

Football led me to all of you - and to this city. Chasing my dream, not knowing this period would change my life. This city. This club. These people... gave me EVERYTHING. I had no choice but to give EVERYTHING back! And guess what - we won EVERYTHING.

Whether we like it or not, it's time to say goodbye. Suri, Rome, Mason, Michele, and I are beyond grateful for what this place has meant to our family.

"Manchester" will forever be on our kids' passports— and more importantly, in each of our hearts.

This will always be our HOME.

We cannot thank the city, club, staff, team-mates, friends, and family enough for this 10-year ride.

Every story comes to an end, but this has definitely been the best chapter.

Let's enjoy these last moments together!

Much love,

KDB

Image source, Getty Images

Huge news emerging out of Manchester City this afternoon as Kevin de Bruyne has confirmed he will leave the squad at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old said on social media: "We cannot thank the city, club, staff, teammates, friends and family enough for this 10-year ride.

"Every story comes to an end, but this has definitely been the best chapter."

Keep across this page today for all the reaction and analysis to the news

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Kyle Walker says his January exit from Manchester City was because AC Milan is a club "you kind of can't say no to".

City boss Pep Guardiola said Walker "asked to explore the options to play abroad" in January after a difficult first half to the season.

"From the inside it didn't go as quickly as it seemed from the outside," the 34-year-old told the You'll Never Beat Kyle Walker podcast.

"As a footballer, you don't really think about things. I think it probably hit me three weeks into being here that I was like: 'Oh gosh, I've just upped and left.'

"In football, when certain things come, certain opportunities come, you have to take it. For me to experience a different league, a different culture - for me to play for a club like AC Milan - I don't think you can turn that down.

"There's certain clubs in the world that you kind of can't say no to.

"The talks didn't happen overnight. There were talks for a week, five days. I had my stuff packed, I was ready. I wasn't playing for Manchester City. I wanted to play football and I wanted to come to Europe."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Bayer Leverkusen have made contact with the representatives of 32-year-old Stefan Ortega and could sign the Manchester City goalkeeper for around 8m euros (£6.7m). (Bild - in German, subscription required), external

Want more transfer news? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Kyle Walker has opened up about his January exit from Manchester City, saying what the club did for him was "incredible".

Walker joined AC Milan on loan in January with an option to make the deal permanent in the summer.

In the return of his BBC Sounds podcast You'll Never Beat Kyle Walker - and the first since the move to Italy - he said: "I've got no bad words - nothing negative to say whatsoever about Manchester City.

"What that club's done for me both on and off the field is incredible. When you take yourself away from the bubble, you think about how lucky you was.

"That's no disrespect to any of the other clubs I played for, but the seven years we had there, I don't think it will happen again in football."

Walker was part of all six Premier League title wins at City under Pep Guardiola, having joined the club from Tottenham in 2017 in a £50m deal.

The 34-year-old was named City's joint-captain in 2023 as part of a five-player leadership group elected by his team-mates before the 2023-24 season.

"I said to the player liaison officer that I wanted to say goodbye to the lads in the canteen before I left when I knew the deal was complete," he said. "He actually texted the whole building. There was 150 people there and I had to say goodbye to them, which was a little bit nerve-wracking.

"It was sad because, as much as people might have this persona of me, I did speak to completely everyone in that building from the cleaners to the cooks, to the kitmen to physios."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your views on the protest against Manchester City's new partnership with third-party ticket resale platform Viagogo and you replied in swathes.

There was only one theme to the replies - and no-one arguing the opposite:

Wendy: I remained on the concourse for nine minutes. I think Leicester fans also did. We have to do something and show that we are unhappy with the current situation. It's happening at all clubs and we have to stand together.

John: I took part in the protest because I know fans from the old Maine Road days that are now struggling to keep up with their season tickets due to the ever increasing cost. We moved to the cheapest seats several seasons ago in order to make match attendance more manageable but now even these seats are moving out of our price range. The club need to listen to the fans as I felt a real sense of determination during the protest last night so this is not going away.

Jack: Man City are culpable in seemingly putting finances over fans. In my view, City are showing flagrant disregard for their fanbase who will stop going by being priced out of the game. City have become too big, too quickly.

Mark: Any football team not listening to their true supporters' needs and opinions are on a slippery slope.

Gary: As a season ticket holder myself, I totally agree with the protest and its grievances against the club. No new season tickets issued for many years now and no guarantee that new season tickets will be available when the new extension to the stand is completed. It would appear that they would rather sell tickets to tourists not stalwart fans.

City have not commented on the protest directly, but say that tickets sold on Viagogo will come from the existing allocation of hospitality tickets, will be subject to a fixed price cap and will not be subject to dynamic ticket pricing.

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When Jack Grealish scored in the second minute to give Manchester City the lead two minutes into Wednesday's 2-0 win over Leicester, far fewer supporters than usual in the Etihad Stadium were in their seats to see it.

Many City fans remained in the stadium's concourses for the first nine minutes to protest the club's new partnership with third-party ticket resale platform Viagogo - the ninth company they have now agreed resale agreements with.

Prior to the protest, a joint statement from City supporter groups 1894, Trade Union Blues and MCFC Fans Foodbank said it was to demonstrate that "football without fans is nothing".

Image source, Getty Images

It follows an open letter sent to chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak in February by seven prominent fans groups complaining about ticket price rises and the prospect of local fans being frozen out.

Representatives of the club's fan advisory board City Matters went on strike for several weeks because the club did not engage in discussions about season ticket prices.

An extraordinary meeting has now been scheduled for today - Thursday, 3 April.

"To sign a ninth partnership with a ticket resale platform is incredibly tone deaf given the strength of concern," City Matters chair Alex Howell told BBC Sport.

What did you make of the protest?

How do you feel about the reasons behind it and do you think it will have had the desired effect?

Let us know here

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We asked for your views on Manchester City's win over Leicester City in the Premier League.

Here are some of your comments:

Man City fans

Gene: This wasn't much of a match against a team destined for relegation that sat back and seemed to just want the final whistle. Josko Gvardiol looks comfortable on the inside with Ruben Dias and I would've liked to have seen Oscar Bobb earlier. A win is a win, but there should've been more goals against a much weaker opponent.

Brian: Man City got the job done. Yes Leicester are a poor side at present and their mistakes in possession gave City the opportunities to score but City were sharper than in previous games.

John: Good in the first half, but second half lacked the same intensity.

Leicester fans

Michael: We line up like a bunch of coconuts and sit there waiting to be knocked down. No passion, no endeavour, no shots, no ideas and no hope. I love my team but sadly my team does not love the badge it wears. I truly cannot remember a Leicester team in the past 40 years that week after week comes up with spineless clueless performances.

Kerry: Utter dross. No points, no goals, same formation and starting XI. Sorry Ruud, but you've lost the plot completely and you're totally out of your depth. We need a goal so at half time you take a striker off and sub him with a holding midfielder. Patson Daka up front on his own? He's National League quality!

Glenn: Awful display, totally devoid of ideas and the usual mistakes cost us again. We are in freefall and know that we are down - but to go down in such a fashion with not even an ounce of care is unforgivable.

Highlights and analysis from nine midweek Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Arsenal 2-1 Fulham

• Nottingham Forest 1-0 Man Utd

• Liverpool 1-0 Everton

• Newcastle 2-1 Brentford

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is being considered as a candidate by AC Milan. (Corriere della Sera - in Italian), external

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