Kevin de Bruyne is arguably the best midfielder in Premier League history. The Belgian is a legitimate legend having been the creative force behind Manchester City for the best part of a decade. Indeed, de Bruyne is up there as one of the best midfielders of his generation, but the De Bruyne age is coming to an end at the Etihad Stadium.
City is struggling badly for form. Indeed, Pep Guardiola’s team have won just one of their last 12 fixtures in all competitions with Saturday’s defeat to Aston Villa dropping the defending Premier League champions down to seventh in the table, notably below Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth.
It’s become clear over the last two months that Manchester City is in need of a squad overhaul. The Etihad Stadium outfit has dominated English soccer for the last seven seasons, winning six Premier League titles and a Champions League for good measure, but there has been a dramatic dip in performance levels.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 15: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City and Pep Guardiola manager of ... [+] Manchester City during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Manchester United FC at Etihad Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)Getty Images
De Bruyne could be one of the first to be pushed out the exit door. The 33-year-old will be out of contract at the end of the season and has been linked with a number of suitors including clubs in the Saudi Pro League and San Diego FC in Major League Soccer. De Bruyne would have options were he to leave Manchester City.
This would surely force City into the transfer market for a replacement. Florian Wirtz could be on the club’s radar with the German international widely considered one of the best young attacking midfielders in the game right now. Wirtz could be ready for a new challenge after winning the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen last term.
However, recent reports claim Wirtz is close to signing a contract extension with Leverkusen and so Manchester City might have to look elsewhere for its de Bruyne replacement. Xavi Simons is another young midfield creator who has been linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium with the Netherlands international developing well at RB Leipzig.
Florian Wirtz of Bayer 04 Leverkusen is in action during the Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 ... [+] Leverkusen and Sport-Club Freiburg at BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, on December 21, 2024. (Photo by Hesham Elsherif/NurPhoto via Getty Images)NurPhoto via Getty Images
Whoever Manchester City target to replace de Bruyne, it’s clear the club must move quickly to build for the future. This season has marked the emphatic end of a cycle with de Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva and other players no longer possessing the physicality to handle Guardiola’s high-intensity, high-energy style of play.
Guardiola has never faced trouble as a manager like he is currently experiencing. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager is charged with retooling Manchester City for the years to come and finding a successor for de Bruyne will be one of his biggest challenges.