Manchester City find themselves at a pivotal juncture in their illustrious recent history as they navigate the final weeks of what has been, by their lofty standards, a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. The club’s fortunes appear in stark contrast: while talismanic striker Erling Haaland prepares for a welcome return from injury, midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne is counting down his final days in sky blue, with a series of high-profile suitors reportedly lining up for his signature.
This dichotomy encapsulates the transitional phase confronting the Manchester club. After a period of unprecedented domestic dominance—winning four consecutive Premier League titles before this season’s regression—City must now simultaneously reintegrate their prolific Norwegian goalscorer while preparing for life without the Belgian playmaker who has orchestrated their success for nearly a decade.
The Prodigal Son Returns
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola confirmed yesterday that Erling Haaland is set to make his long-awaited return to action this weekend. The Norwegian goal machine has been sidelined since March after sustaining an ankle injury during City’s FA Cup quarter-final victory over Bournemouth, but his return comes at a crucial moment as the club enters the final stretch of their campaign.
“He is ready, he is fit,” Guardiola confirmed during his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Southampton. When pressed on whether the 24-year-old would start the match at St. Mary’s Stadium, the Catalan tactician remained characteristically coy: “[If he will] start, we will see tomorrow.”
Haaland was named among the substitutes for City’s narrow 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend but remained unused as Guardiola opted for caution with his prized asset. That win, sealed by none other than De Bruyne himself, boosted City’s chances of securing Champions League football next season, with the club currently sitting third in the Premier League table, three points ahead of sixth-placed Nottingham Forest.
The 2024-25 season has introduced a significant change to the European football landscape, with the top five Premier League finishers now guaranteed a place in the Champions League, a result of England’s improved UEFA coefficient ranking and the competition’s expanded format. For a club of Manchester City’s stature, failing to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition would represent nothing short of a catastrophe.
Despite missing almost two months of action, Haaland remains City’s top scorer this season with 21 goals in 28 Premier League appearances—the only player in Guardiola’s squad to reach double figures in the competition. Across all competitions, the Norwegian has netted 30 times in 40 appearances, while also contributing four assists.
These impressive statistics, however, represent a relative downturn compared to his extraordinary output in previous campaigns. Since arriving in England from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022, Haaland has rewritten the Premier League’s goal-scoring record books, claiming the Golden Boot award in each of his first two seasons. His debut campaign saw him shatter the Premier League’s single-season scoring record with 36 goals in 35 appearances, while he followed that up with 29 goals in 30 matches during the 2023-24 season.
De Bruyne’s Final Chapter
While City fans eagerly anticipate Haaland’s return, they must simultaneously prepare for the departure of one of the club’s greatest ever players. In April, Kevin De Bruyne confirmed that he would be leaving Manchester City when his contract expires at the end of the season, bringing to a close a legendary nine-year spell during which he has cemented his status as one of the Premier League’s finest ever midfielders.
“Dear Manchester, Seeing this, you probably realise where this is heading. So I’ll get straight to it and let you all know that these will be my final months as a Manchester City player,” De Bruyne wrote in an emotional statement that reverberated throughout the football world.
“Nothing about this is easy to write, but as football players, we all know this day eventually comes. That day is here- and you deserve to hear it from me first.”
His heartfelt message continued: “Football led me to all of you – and to this city. Chasing my dream, not knowing this period would change my life. This city. This club. These people gave me everything. I had no choice but to give everything back. And guess what – we won everything. Whether we like it or not, it’s time to say goodbye.”
The 33-year-old’s departure represents the end of an era for City. Since arriving from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2015, De Bruyne has made 418 appearances across all competitions, scoring 108 goals and providing 177 assists—statistics that only tell part of the story of his immense influence. During his tenure, he has won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups, three Community Shields, one Champions League, one UEFA Super Cup, and one FIFA Club World Cup, establishing himself as arguably the most influential player in the club’s history.
Guardiola has been unequivocal about the enormous challenge his team faces in replacing the Belgian maestro. “I want the best for Kevin so it cannot be possible to have done these many years without him. He has been an incredible player, but the situation is what it is,” the Spaniard said after City’s victory over Wolves.
“It’s almost impossible to replace this kind of player. It is not just the performance, it is what he means to the heart for our fans for many, many years. The success we have belongs to the players.”
The Race for De Bruyne’s Signature
Since confirming his departure, De Bruyne has been linked with a host of potential destinations, with recent reports suggesting several high-profile suitors are vying for his signature. According to Spanish outlet Defensa Central, the Belgian has “offered himself” to Real Madrid and is prepared to take a pay cut to secure a move to the Spanish capital on a free transfer.
Real Madrid have developed a reputation for shrewd business in the free transfer market, having previously acquired stars like Kylian Mbappé, Antonio Rüdiger, and David Alaba without paying transfer fees. With Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold reportedly set to join them this summer, De Bruyne is said to be keen on following the England international to the Bernabéu.
It is claimed that Real have responded “favourably” to De Bruyne’s offer, despite the club’s general policy of investing in younger players. While the midfielder would be 34 by the start of next season, his exceptional vision, passing range, and experience at the highest level make him an attractive proposition for any elite club.
However, in a development that would send shockwaves through English football, Italian news outlet Di Marzio reported this week that newly-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool have made a shock bid to sign De Bruyne. The prospect of the Belgian joining City’s fierce rivals would be particularly painful for supporters at the Etihad, despite his immense contribution to their success.
Intriguingly, resurfaced footage suggests De Bruyne himself might be open to such a controversial move. During his time at Belgian club Genk, a young De Bruyne once stated: “My favourite team is Liverpool FC and my favourite player is Michael Owen. I’d like to play there.” He later reinforced this childhood admiration in a 2019 interview with Match of the Day magazine, saying: “I was a Liverpool fan. My family that live in England were all Liverpool supporters so I was, too.”
In another interview with Sky Sports that same year, De Bruyne expressed his fondness for Liverpool’s home ground: “I like Anfield, I like it a lot. I love people being on you, being noisy, that is what it’s all about. I love the passion of football.”
While prominent Liverpool journalists have downplayed reports of a formal offer, the possibility of De Bruyne moving to Anfield remains. One fan on social media excitedly commented: “If we managed to pull that signing off they might as well give us next year’s title as well! Can you imagine KDB and Salah in the same team!”
Serie A side Napoli have also been linked with the midfielder, while reports have circulated about interest from Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire. De Bruyne himself has indicated his preference is to remain in European football, presumably to continue competing at the highest level.
City’s Succession Plan
Regardless of where De Bruyne ultimately lands, Manchester City are already making plans to fill the enormous void he will leave. According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, City “plan to advance on” Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White “in the next weeks” as he “remains one of the priority targets.”
Romano suggests that while “no issues are expected on personal terms,” there is “work to do with Nottingham Forest as they still hope to keep MGW.” The 25-year-old Englishman has been a key figure in Forest’s surprisingly strong campaign, which has seen them push for Champions League qualification, scoring five goals in 33 appearances across all competitions.
While Gibbs-White’s potential is clear, many City supporters will question whether he can truly replace a player of De Bruyne’s caliber. The Belgian’s unique combination of vision, technique, athleticism, and leadership has made him virtually irreplaceable, a reality that Guardiola himself has acknowledged.
The challenge of succession planning extends beyond just replacing De Bruyne. City’s midfield core has been the foundation of their success under Guardiola, but age is becoming a factor across the squad. İlkay Gündoğan’s departure last season was followed by De Bruyne’s announcement this year, while Bernardo Silva and Rodri are both approaching 30. The transition to a new generation of talent will require careful management to maintain the extraordinary standards set over the past seven years.
A Season of Struggle
The timing of Haaland’s return and the speculation surrounding De Bruyne’s future come against the backdrop of what has been, by City’s lofty standards, a deeply disappointing campaign. After winning an unprecedented four consecutive Premier League titles—part of a domestic dominance that saw City clinch six of the last seven available league crowns—Guardiola’s men have endured a season characterized by inconsistency and frustration.
Between October and December, City experienced their worst run of form under Guardiola’s stewardship, managing just one victory in thirteen matches across all competitions. This disastrous sequence included nine defeats, effectively ending their league title defense before the halfway point of the season. Their Champions League campaign proved equally disappointing, with City eliminated at the play-off phase—a shocking outcome for a team that had reached at least the semi-finals in each of the previous four seasons, including their triumphant 2022-23 campaign.
Injuries have undoubtedly played a significant role in City’s struggles. Defensive lynchpin Ruben Dias missed three months with a hamstring injury, while both De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva spent extended periods on the sidelines. However, it was perhaps Haaland’s prolonged absence that proved most damaging to City’s ambitions.
In a candid interview with ESPN earlier this week, Haaland offered a brutally honest assessment of City’s disappointing campaign, attributing their underwhelming performances to a collective loss of “hunger” within the squad.
“You can find excuses, injuries, many injuries at bad times, but in the end we haven’t been performing well enough,” Haaland admitted. “We haven’t had fully the hunger inside us. I haven’t been good enough. I haven’t helped the team enough. In the end, we haven’t been good enough.”
When asked about these comments, Guardiola neither contradicted nor endorsed his striker’s analysis, instead suggesting: “If it’s a feeling for Erling, the players should talk to each other and ask themselves why.”
The concept of ‘hunger’—that insatiable desire to succeed despite having already achieved greatness—has long fascinated sports psychologists and pundits alike. Manchester City’s struggles this season appear to validate the theory that sustained success can indeed blunt competitive edge, a phenomenon often referred to as the ‘success trap.’
Guardiola himself acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining elite performance levels season after season, calling this “the most difficult” campaign in his illustrious managerial career.
“When you don’t win, it’s more demanding in terms of emotionally and preparing [the team] and the mood,” the 54-year-old explained. “It has been more and more difficult than the previous seasons that we played for winning the titles.”
The Final Frontier
With the Premier League title beyond their reach, City’s focus now shifts to securing Champions League qualification and adding another FA Cup to their trophy cabinet. After Saturday’s trip to Southampton, Guardiola’s side will face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 17, before completing their league campaign with fixtures against Bournemouth and Fulham.
For both Haaland and De Bruyne, the FA Cup represents different but equally significant opportunities. For the Norwegian, it offers a chance to add a goal in an English domestic cup final to his already impressive resume and provide some consolation in an otherwise frustrating season. For the Belgian, it represents a final opportunity to lift silverware in a City shirt, potentially bringing his glittering tenure at the club to the perfect close.
Crystal Palace, managed by former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira, have enjoyed a solid campaign themselves, currently sitting comfortably in mid-table. The Eagles have developed a reputation as a well-organized outfit capable of troubling the Premier League’s elite, particularly through the pace and trickery of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise.
Guardiola, however, boasts an exceptional record in cup competitions. Throughout his managerial career, he has reached 19 major finals, winning 16 of them. At Manchester City alone, he has secured three FA Cup triumphs, most recently in 2023 when they defeated local rivals Manchester United 2-1 at Wembley.
De Bruyne’s Legacy
As De Bruyne prepares for his final matches in sky blue, attention has inevitably turned to his legacy at Manchester City and in English football more broadly. The Belgian arrived at the Etihad in the summer of 2015 for a then-club-record fee of £55 million, a price tag that raised eyebrows given his previous brief and unsuccessful spell at Chelsea.
However, any doubts about his quality were swiftly dispelled. De Bruyne registered 16 goals and 13 assists in his debut season, establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s premier creative forces. Under Guardiola’s guidance from 2016 onwards, he developed into arguably the most complete midfielder in world football, combining exceptional passing range, vision, tactical intelligence, work rate, and set-piece expertise into a package that few, if any, could match.
His most remarkable individual campaign came in 2019-20 when he equaled Thierry Henry’s Premier League record of 20 assists in a single season. That year, he was crowned PFA Players’ Player of the Year—an honor he would win again the following season, joining an elite group of players to claim the prestigious award in consecutive years.
Perhaps De Bruyne’s greatest strength has been his consistency. Even in his final season at City, despite physical issues that have limited his playing time, he has maintained his extraordinary influence when available. His winning goal against Wolves last week—a trademark powerful strike from the edge of the penalty area—offered a timely reminder of his enduring class.
Former City teammate Micah Richards recently described De Bruyne as “the greatest midfielder the Premier League has ever seen,” a sentiment echoed by many observers. While comparisons with legends like Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, and Paul Scholes will forever divide opinion, De Bruyne’s statistical output and trophy haul make a compelling case for such lofty status.
The Haaland Factor
While De Bruyne prepares for his farewell, Haaland’s return offers City fans a glimpse of their future. The importance of the Norwegian to Manchester City’s project extends far beyond his immediate impact on the pitch. When City activated his €60 million (£51.2 million) release clause from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022, they weren’t merely signing a striker; they were acquiring a generational talent who could serve as the centerpiece of their team for a decade.
In the modern football landscape, where truly elite strikers are increasingly rare commodities, Haaland represents footballing gold dust. Alongside Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé, he is widely regarded as one of the two most valuable attacking players in world football.
His commercial value is equally significant. Haaland’s global appeal—driven by his distinctive appearance, charismatic personality, and extraordinary goal-scoring feats—has helped expand City’s fanbase, particularly in Scandinavia and Central Europe. Jersey sales bearing his name consistently outpace those of his teammates, while his social media following (currently exceeding 40 million across platforms) provides Manchester City with invaluable global reach.
The statistical impact of his absence this season has been stark. In the 28 Premier League matches featuring Haaland, City have averaged 2.1 goals per game; in the seven matches without him, that figure drops to 1.4. More tellingly, City’s win percentage with Haaland (64%) significantly exceeds their success rate without him (43%).
As the 2024-25 season enters its final stages, attention is already turning to how Manchester City might rebuild and recalibrate this summer. Guardiola, who signed a two-year contract extension last November, has consistently demonstrated an ability to reinvent his teams when necessary.
“It’s a business, we have to win games,” Guardiola acknowledged. “Otherwise, you cannot be here next time. We represent the people, represent the club—you have to do your job as best as possible.”
Looking Ahead
The contrasting fortunes of Haaland and De Bruyne encapsulate the cyclical nature of football, even at a club with Manchester City’s vast resources. While one era draws to a close with De Bruyne’s departure, another potentially beckons with Haaland as its focal point.
For City, the challenge lies in maintaining their extraordinary standards despite the loss of a generational talent in De Bruyne. His vision, leadership, and ability to produce moments of match-winning brilliance cannot be replaced like-for-like; rather, the team’s style and structure may need to evolve to accommodate his absence.
In Haaland, they possess a goalscoring phenomenon whose best years should still lie ahead. At just 24, the Norwegian has already established himself as one of the most prolific strikers in Premier League history. With a fully fit Haaland leading the line next season, supported by emerging talents and potential new signings like Gibbs-White, City will remain formidable contenders across all competitions.
The potential destination of De Bruyne adds another layer of intrigue to the summer ahead. A move to Real Madrid would see him join a legendary institution and potentially compete for further Champions League glory alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham. However, a shock switch to Liverpool would dramatically alter the Premier League landscape, potentially tipping the balance of power in favor of the Merseyside club.
For neutral observers, the 2025-26 Premier League season already promises to be fascination. The potential of De Bruyne in Liverpool red, Arsenal’s continued development under Mikel Arteta, Manchester United’s ongoing rebuild, and City’s adaptation to life without their Belgian maestro all contribute to what could be the most open title race in years.
As one fan eloquently put it on social media: “KDB is one of the best midfielders in Premier League history. Is he right for Liverpool – not sure, I feel that he’s probably a bit past it – would love for him to prove me wrong though.”
Whether De Bruyne still has the physical capacity to maintain his extraordinary standards into his mid-thirties remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that his departure from Manchester City represents the end of one of the most successful player-club relationships in Premier League history.
For City fans, the pain of his exit might be partially offset by Haaland’s return to fitness. As they prepare for Saturday’s trip to Southampton, the hope will be that their Norwegian talisman can quickly rediscover his goalscoring touch and help the team secure a strong finish to a challenging season.
With Champions League qualification still in the balance and FA Cup glory within reach, the combination of a returning Haaland and a departing De Bruyne determined to leave on a high note could yet transform City’s season from one of disappointment to one of relative success. In a sport often defined by fine margins, having one of the world’s most lethal goalscorers back in the fold, alongside one of its greatest ever midfielders for one final flourish, could make all the difference.
