Kevin De Bruyne: Has the time come for Man City to cash in on star midfielder?
After nine years at the Etihad, Kevin De Bruyne could leave Manchester City this summer.
As the clock ticked closer to 60 minutes at Wembley, Pep Guardiola was growing increasingly more aggravated.
He’d made two half-time changes to try and establish a foothold in the game for Manchester City, but his side were surprisingly still second best in. Few expected Manchester United to be so resolute, especially on the back of a season where they have too often been cut open at will.
But in Saturday’s FA Cup final, Erik ten Hag flooded the middle and limited the space for City’s key men to fashion chances. None suffered more than Kevin De Bruyne, who lost possession four times (more than any other City player), failed to create any significant chances, and had the second lowest pass completion ratio of anyone in blue.
De Bruyne has so often been City’s saviour over the years, but it was no surprise when Guardiola hooked the Belgian with just over half an hour remaining, despite his side needing two goals. Even more concerning for the midfielder is that the team looked better after his withdrawal.
Julian Alvarez, De Bruyne’s replacement, carried more of a direct threat and nearly found the back of the net within 10 minutes of his introduction. It comes at the end of a season in which Phil Foden has become City’s most reliable source of goals and assists, particularly at crucial junctures in games. It was the 24-year-old who Guardiola trusted to be the team’s creator-in-chief from a central role in the second half, rather than De Bruyne.
If anything indicates a changing of the guard at the Etihad, it was this, while De Bruyne’s future at the Premier League champions now remains uncertain. Reports have suggested there’s interest from the USA and Saudi Arabia in the former Wolfsburg man, who has a year remaining on his contract and turns 33 next month.
That he underwent surgery on a long-term hamstring issue in August, and Guardiola’s view that De Bruyne can’t play in a deeper, less energy-sapping role, must also be factors in City’s decision-making. However, ManchesterWorld understands there is no sense of unease from club officials or the player, with an outcome that suits both parties expected to be reached this summer.
That an exit hasn’t been completely ruled out is an indication De Bruyne is perhaps no longer the most vital cog in Guardiola’s well-oiled machine. There’s no denying that performances have dropped from the Belgium international, and so often in games this season he’s misplaced passes or made unforced errors, the sort that were just non-existent two years ago.
De Bruyne lost possession more than anyone in the recent wins over Fulham and Chelsea, as well as the FA Cup final, and in the Premier League he ranks in the bottom 25 percent for pass completion rate.
But the oddity of De Bruyne’s 2023/24 season is that despite the underwhelming displays, he habitually has provided game-changing moments. April’s win over Nottingham Forest perhaps best encapsulated the 32-year-old’s campaign, a performance in which De Bruyne frustrated for long periods and was lax in possession, yet provided two assists to hand City a 2-0 win.
Indeed, statistically his numbers have been outstanding since returning from injury in January. An assist ratio of 0.74 per 90 is streets ahead of anyone else in the Premier League - the next best being 0.53 - while De Bruyne’s 4.12 passes per game into the penalty area is the highest of any player in the division to have played 500+ minutes.
His numbers for shot-creating actions are also the best in the league, while 1.03 goals and assists per 90 is the fourth highest in the top flight. It’s the sort of contributions that have seen City’s no.17 named in the fan team of the season, despite starting just 15 games all term.
Regardless of how De Bruyne’s performances appear optically, the stats show he is, if anything, becoming more efficient and clinical as he ages. And while there has been less control at times with the experienced midfielder in the team, that’s not specific to De Bruyne, and a common theme across Guardiola’s team this term.
It makes any decision on whether or not to cash in on the two-time Premier League Player of the Year a no-brainer. Even as he pushes towards his mid-30s, De Bruyne is one of the world’s top midfield operators, one who has plenty more left to give at football’s top table.