Kevin De Bruyne on Premier League exit: I’m a City player for life

Manchester City’s former midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has said that he would be a City player for life. The Belgian talisman joined Serie A champions Napoli on a free transfer and he will play alongside compatriot Romelu Lukaku.

The talisman won six Premier League titles with the Cityzens, five League Cups, and two FA Cup titles. Furthermore, he won the Community Shield on two occasions and also won the Champions League with the Sky Blues.

He has also been named Premier League Player of the Season twice (2019-20, 2021-22).

“I have been in the Premier League for so long and in the end I made the decision to go out of England,” De Bruyne told reporters on Saturday.

“I have done what I have done and in the end I am a Man City player for life. It was also with the way that it ended for me, I thought, it is time to find a new challenge.

“When I had the whole project in front of me and then the fact that I could play in Italy and still play at a high level was exciting for me.”

Kevin, who is regarded as one of the best midfielders in Premier League history, said he is looking forward to learning a new style of play in Italy.

“Napoli are already champions but they are still improving their squad… I am hoping that I can help the team grow and I will also learn from them, a new way of playing, a new competition,” De Bruyne said.

“Romelu was happy [about the move], I spoke with him in the national team [camp], he wanted me to join. I have known Romelu since we were 13 years old, so we are really tight together. When we played in Chelsea, we lived together for two or three months.

“It makes it a little bit easier that I know him because he is somebody who can translate for me and it helps because he knows the coach, he knows the team.”

Napoli will begin their title defense against Sassuolo on August 13.