Kevin De Bruyne will receive a fitting send-off from Manchester City following his final home appearance against Bournemouth on Tuesday, as the club prepares to bid farewell to one of its modern greats.
The Belgian playmaker, 33, announced last month that he will leave City at the end of the season when his contract expires, drawing the curtain on a decorated 10-year spell at the Etihad. Since arriving from Bundesliga side Wolfsburg in 2015, De Bruyne has amassed 16 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League in 2023.
His dream farewell was dashed at Wembley on Saturday, however, when City fell to a shock defeat against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final — ending hopes of another triumphant send-off.
Manager Pep Guardiola stopped short of confirming whether De Bruyne would start in his final home game but paid glowing tribute to his contribution:
“Kevin will get what he deserves. That is the best compliment for his incredible trajectory. What he has done with other legends in the club — it would not have been possible, since Sheikh Mansour took over, to reach another level without him.”
Following the full-time whistle on Tuesday, De Bruyne will be honoured with a guard of honour from his team-mates and coaching staff. He will then address the Etihad crowd with a short speech, before receiving commemorative gifts from the family of the late club icon Colin Bell. A lap of appreciation alongside his fellow players will follow.
City round off their league campaign away at Fulham on Sunday (16:00 BST), which is expected to be De Bruyne’s final competitive outing for the club. Though the club is due to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States this summer — beginning on 14 June — De Bruyne has cast doubt over his involvement, citing injury concerns as he seeks to secure his next move.
“I probably won’t play in the tournament,” De Bruyne recently admitted, hinting that fitness issues may influence his post-City plans.
As he prepares to close this chapter of his career, De Bruyne departs as one of City’s greatest-ever players — a driving force behind the club’s era of domestic dominance and a symbol of their rise to European elite status.