In a Premier League match, Manchester City beat Everton 2-0, albeit not in an easy way. The win helped the team get back into the top four of the table and greatly boosted their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. But the game itself didn’t attract much attention, and it was De Bruyne’s comments after the game that really set off a firestorm.
De Bruyne, the Belgian star who has been playing for City for a decade, made a rare statement about his displeasure with the club in a post-match interview. He openly stated that he has not received any news about a contract extension for a whole year. He said, “The club has obviously made a decision. I didn’t get any advice on contract renewal, which surprised me a bit. But I can only accept this reality. Honestly, I think I can still play at a good level, as I am now. I understand that the club has to make decisions.”
Statements like these have shocked and disturbed many fans. This is because it was only a few weeks ago that he announced that he would be leaving the club when his contract expired at the end of the season. At the time, it was widely believed to be a decent goodbye, and manager Pep Guardiola confirmed that it was not De Bruyne’s personal choice, but an arrangement from the top. Therefore, the outside world originally thought that this is a gentle and rational “breakup”. However, De Bruyne’s emotional speech broke people’s original imagination.
Why Manchester City will not renew the contract?
From De Bruyne’s words, we can read his deep love and regret for the club. He was looking forward to a contract extension from City, and he was even ready to continue playing for the team. However, a whole year has passed, and City never took the initiative to contact him. This made him feel left out and helpless.
From the fans’ point of view, De Bruyne is a credit to the team and one of the most iconic players of the past decade. It is reasonable that City should give him more respect and options. But looking at it from another angle, from the club management’s perspective, their decision is not really hard to understand.
First of all, what cannot be ignored is the age issue. De Bruyne will turn 34 next year, which is a no-brainer for any professional player. Although his technique is still excellent, his form is not as stable as it was in his prime. This season, his passing errors have increased and his breaking ability has declined. Coupled with his frequent injuries in recent years, there is no guarantee that he can remain healthy for a full season.
Secondly, from a financial point of view, De Bruyne’s weekly salary is as high as £400,000, second only to Harland, the team’s top player. Even if City are well-funded, a gradually aging player with inconsistent form occupying such a high salary is not cost-effective for a team trying to rebuild.
Manchester City’s rebuilding program
City’s problem in the last two seasons has not been their strength, but rather the aging of the team and the lack of fresh blood. Although the team is still competitive, the slowing down of the game tempo and the decline of creativity on the field are becoming more and more obvious. For this reason, the club’s senior management has already formulated a plan to renew the team. They hope to bring in more young players and reshape the core framework of the team with new ideas and tactics.
Against this background, continuing to renew the contract of a veteran like De Bruyne is obviously not in line with the rebuilding goals. Although he has the ability and experience, if he can’t stay healthy for a long time, he will instead become a hindrance in the tactical adjustments.
Perhaps the club was also worried that if they offered a contract extension, De Bruyne would agree to stay on, rather than rejecting it, as had been speculated. Therefore, they chose to end the relationship “quietly” to avoid a more complicated situation.
Player vs. club: who should take a step back?
Many have compared De Bruyne to Real Madrid’s Modric, who, despite his age, has managed to play consistently at Real Madrid and has been supported by the club in renewing his contract. But this situation is in fact very rare, Modric can stay, because his condition is still maintained very well, and in the tactical role can not be replaced.
In contrast, De Bruyne has missed a number of games this season due to injury, affecting the overall running of the team. Moreover, City already have a number of midfielders who can step up, including youngsters such as Foden and Alvarez. Therefore, from the management’s point of view, choosing not to extend De Bruyne’s contract is not a “betrayal”, but a decision that is more in line with the long-term development plan.
For the player himself, although he is not happy about it, leaving could also be a new start. He could have continued his career in other leagues, even in Saudi Arabia and the United States, with better pay and more freedom.
A collision between emotion and reason
De Bruyne’s choice to speak out at this point in time may have been motivated by emotion. He loves City and wants to stay with the team, but has not received a “decent” response. His statement was heartbreaking for many fans and made the end of the relationship seem a little imperfect.
In fact, if he had chosen to do what Toni Kroos did, and retired when he wasn’t in too bad of shape, perhaps the journey would have ended on a more heartwarming note. Toni Kroos announced early on that he would retire at the end of the season, leaving enough emotional preparation for the fans and earning himself a high level of respect.
In comparison, De Bruyne, while equally respectable, has made the evaluation of this career a little more controversial and regrettable because of these emotional statements.
Conclusion: Every Goodbye is a New Beginning
De Bruyne’s relationship with Manchester City hasn’t broken down, it’s just drawn to a temporary close in a less-than-perfect way. His decade of dedication and brilliance is undeniable by all, and the choices the club has made in this new phase of development are not heartless.
For the player, turning away may be an opportunity to prove himself again; while for City, this painful decision is also for the long-term future.
When emotions and reality clash, perhaps we should all learn a new way of saying goodbye – no blame, no complaining, respecting each other, and making each other whole.
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