Kevin De Bruyne is being naughty about his Man City exit – he should know better

This is an extract of The Score. Sign-up up here to receive the newsletter every Monday morning with The i Paper’s verdict on all 20 Premier League clubs

This is the Kevin De Bruyne farewell tour and he is not going quietly. Last month, De Bruyne made it perfectly clear that his departure from Manchester City was not his choice – and that he was surprised not to have been offered a new contract.

After De Bruyne scored the winner against Wolves on Friday night (and was thanked by Pep Guardiola for his performances recently), he again used a post-match interview to display a little anger at his Manchester City exit.

“I don’t know about the future unfortunately,” De Bruyne said. “I have shown I can still play here, otherwise I don’t do what I do these last four or five weeks. A lot of team-mates have spoken to me, they are sad also that I have to go. It goes like this in life, but the way I am performing is the way I should be.”

The suggestion – quite deliberate – that other City players are also unhappy about his departure is a little naughty with Champions League qualification and the FA Cup still on the line. But I’m also not sure De Bruyne can be too surprised.

Firstly, he is the highest-paid footballer in the Premier League with a reported weekly wage of £400,000 and is out of contract, which gives City the power. Given his age, there is no sense whatsoever in paying him anywhere close to those wages.

Secondly, De Bruyne has not been at his best for almost two years. Last season he started only 15 league games due to injury; this season he has started 17. City and Guardiola have learned to move on and see De Bruyne’s presence as a bonus.

The Belgian has certainly been in decent form since the announcement of his summer departure – no coincidence, a cynic might say – but his last goal contributions in the Premier League have come against Wolves, Palace, West Ham, Brentford, Ipswich and it’s only 11 in total all season. The last time De Bruyne scored or created against a Big Six team was 2023-24. That is why he is leaving.

This is an extract of The Score. Sign-up up here to receive the newsletter every Monday morning with The i Paper’s verdict on all 20 Premier League clubs

from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/npehl67