Revealed: Who decided Kevin De Bruyne should leave Manchester City this summer | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has revealed the details, during a recent press conference, behind Kevin De Bruyne’s announcement regarding his pending Manchester City exit this summer.

The Belgium football legend announced on his social media channels at the end of last week that after a decade at the Etihad Stadium, the ongoing campaign would be his final season as a Manchester City player.

Undoubtedly one of the greatest ever footballers to wear the sky blue and white shirt, De Bruyne is expected to be recognised by the club by becoming the fourth player in the last decade to have a statue commissioned of themselves outside the Etihad Stadium.

Much has been made over the last 12 months over whether Kevin De Bruyne would be handed a contract extension offer by the club, or whether the midfielder himself would accept reduced terms and salary given his decreasing role in Pep Guardiola’s operation.

However, total clarity has now been provided on the situation that ultimately led to the decision being made to relieve De Bruyne of his Manchester City duties, with a number of clubs across the globe now vying for his signature.

Speaking to the media during a recent press conference, Pep Guardiola was asked whether he will have chance to sit down with Kevin De Bruyne on his final day as a Manchester City player to reflect on their time together at the club over the last nine years.

“We have done it recently, and if we have to do it, I would do it,” Guardiola admitted.

“But we’ll not miss something that is not natural, I would say. He knows, I think already from my side and for the club, and from my chairman, for everyone, how good he has been.”

On whether he will have a parting gift or present to bid farewell to the legendary Manchester City playmaker, Guardiola said, “Yeah, I’ll think about it.

“I invited him for dinner recently, so maybe in the future… I don’t know. I didn’t think about that!”

But who made the final decision on Kevin De Bruyne leaving Manchester City?

The answer from Guardiola was plain and simple as the Catalan tactician revealed, “The decision had been made by the club. The club is the club. Me, Txiki (Begiristain), and the club. This is what it is.”

For now, it remains to be seen what Kevin De Bruyne’s next steps will be in the professional game, with a feeling in various quarters being that Inter Miami are leading the chase over in the MLS for the 33-year-old’s signature as they hold his ‘discovery rights’ in the US.

There is believed to be long-standing interest within Saudi Arabia and Turkey too, although the understanding is that De Bruyne currently favours a move Stateside for his young family, despite appreciating the huge financial benefits of a move to the Middle-East in particular.