Kevin

De Bruyne

One of world football's best attacking players...

A highly rated youngster who has developed into one of the finest midfielders in the game, City secured Kevin De Bruyne’s services in the summer of 2016.

Known as one of the continent’s assist kings, he arrived with a huge reputation, but after just one full season in Manchester it was evident that it was more than justified.

With his creativity and eye for a defence splitting pass, he has gone on to establish himself as one of Pep Guardiola’s key players, winning two Premier Leagues, three Carabao Cups, an FA Cup and the Community Shield in the process.

The Belgian’s senior career began in 2009 with Genk and he went on to become an integral part of their title-winning side, making 17 assists and scoring six goals in the 2010/11 season.

Chelsea moved for De Bruyne in January 2012, though he remained with Genk until the end of that season and spent the following campaign on loan at Werder Bremen.

He impressed in the Bundesliga, scoring 10 goals in 34 starts before his return to Chelsea.

He found first-team opportunities hard to come by, though, and after just nine appearances, De Bruyne signed for Wolfsburg in January 2014.

It was there that he blossomed into one of the best playmakers in world football, hitting 16 goals and breaking the Bundesliga record with 21 assists, as his side finished second and won the German Cup in 2014/15.

His efforts saw him crowned Bundesliga Player of the Year and Footballer of the Year.

Upon his move to City, De Bruyne made significant impact in his debut season and became a huge crowd favourite thanks to a series of match-winning displays.

The 27-year-old became an integral part of the Blues’ attack, orchestrating, providing and often finishing moves that quickly made him indispensable.

Few players have enjoyed such a flying start and his 16 goals and 15 assists bear testament to a stunning first campaign for which he was voted City’s Player of the Season.

2016/17 was also impressive as De Bruyne topped the Premier League assist charts, but it was in the following season that the Belgian hit his peak.

He was instrumental in City’s title win, turning in some magnificent displays which saw him named the Club’s Player of the Season for a second time.

Injury ruined the 27-year-old’s 2018/19 campaign, but he still played his part in an historic campaign, when fit and emerged from the bench to named Man of the Match in the FA Cup final.

The 2019/20 season was a stellar one for the Belgian who made 48 appearances and scored 16 goals as well as equalling Thierry Henry's Premier League assist record of 21.

At the end of the campaign, KDB was awarded many prestigious honours.

He was voted the City Player of the Season, UEFA Midfielder of the Year and the coveted PFA Players' Player of the Year in 2019/20.

An incredible year for a player at his very peak and 2020/21 was even better.

His 40 appearances and 10 goals helped City to more silverware and De Bruyne was also voted the PFA Players Player of the Year for a second successive time.

He penned a new four-year deal in April 2021.

Kevin often skippers the side in Fernandinho's absence and is rightly regarded as one of the best playmakers in world football.

He again demonstrated his brilliance throughout the 2021/22 campaign with a stellar second-half of the campaign helping drive City towards the Premier League title.

His 19 goals in 43 games was a career-best for the Belgian who also was voted the Etihad Player of the Season for a record-equalling fourth time.

Having made a fine start to the 2022/23 campaign with City, De Bruyne also finished third in the 2022 Ballon d'Or.

He also represented Belgium at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, marking his third appearance at the showpiece, following on from 2014 and 2018.

De Bruyne started in all three group games for the Red Devils which ultimately ended in disappointment and an early exit from the competition.

KDB remains one of City's greatest signings of modern times, and was included in the FIFPro World XI for a third consecutive year in February 2023.