Kevin De Bruyne admits his next club is still undecided after he leaves Manchester City at the end of the season and has refused to rule out the prospect of joining another Premier League side.
The 33-year-old delivered an impressive performance to inspire City’s comeback against Palace on Saturday after Pep Guardiola’s side went two goals behind at the Etihad Stadium.
De Bruyne’s free-kick sparked City’s revival before Omar Marmoush pulled the hosts level. The Belgian midfielder then set up Mateo Kovacic, who put City in front shortly after the break.
James McAtee netted City’s fourth in what was his first Premier League start for the club before Nico O’Reilly struck to complete a 5-2 win for Guardiola’s side.
The match was De Bruyne’s first game at the Etihad since he announced his decision to leave City this summer.
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De Bruyne, who has been at City for 10 years, has been linked with moves to Major League Soccer or the Saudi Pro League.
But the midfielder says his long-term future once he leaves City is still uncertain.
‘It’s been a hard year, having a hernia wasn’t fun, but now I’ve been pain-free for the last six weeks and that’s a massive difference – playing with pain or not,’ De Bruyne told TNT Sports after City’s win over Palace.
‘But now I feel free, I’m able to do a lot of training, and I feel I can do a good job.
‘I don’t know what’s going to happen but I want to play on, so we’ll see where I can end up.
‘I don’t know how I’m going to feel, I’ve been here so long, my family has been here for 10 years, my kids were born in Manchester, lived their whole life here.
‘It’s going to be something different for them. I think they’re a bit scared, excited, but it’s a bit of an unknown because we don’t know what’s going to happen for the moment.
‘But I want to enjoy, play good football like I did today, and for the rest, I’ll be fine. If I can play football and my family is happy, I’m good.’
Kevin De Bruyne to sign for before 29th August 2025
Any Saudi Pro League Club – 4/5
Any MLS Club – 11/4
Bayern Munich – 9/1
Galatasaray – 20/1
Fenerbahce, River Plate – 25/1
Gent – 40/1
Odds courtesy of Betfair
In a separate post-match interview with Viaplay, De Bruyne suggested he would also consider offers from other Premier League sides.
‘There’s always a challenge, for me next year I don’t know what’s going to happen,’ De Bruyne said.
‘If teams come and they can convince me that something sporting is nice, a nice project, I’m able.
‘I know, obviously, I’m not the youngest any more but I still feel I’m able to perform at a very high level.
‘I don’t know what teams are interested or what they want to do, but whatever project is available I’m willing to listen.
‘I love football, I love to play football, if a nice project comes and my family is also good with that then we are able to make a decision.’
Asked if he could potentially stay in the Premier League after leaving City, De Bruyne replied: ‘I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t know.
‘It could be not [over]. It’s very hard because the decision of leaving has not been that long, nothing can be decided in a week in the football world I don’t think everything comes in a week.
‘I’ve not even seen my family since the announcement so I need to speak and see whatever team wants me. I don’t know, I have no idea, we’ll see.’
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