Kevin De Bruyne is certain he can continue to play at the top level beyond the end of his current contract, but he has refused to rule out a possible exit from the Etihad Stadium when his current agreement expires.
The 31-year-old Belgian international has been with the Citizens since coming from Wolfsburg in 2015 and is under contract until the summer of 2025.
At City, De Bruyne has grown into one of the world’s top midfielders, and the playmaker has been a vital cog in Pep Guardiola’s machine, winning three Premier League crowns, five EFL Cups, and one FA Cup.
According to Metro, the former Chelsea midfielder feels he can continue to play at a high level for the next five years, but argues he has to be at the ‘perfect club’ with the ‘appropriate challenge’ in his later years.
“I don’t know about my prime years,” De Bruyne said. “There is a misconception that you are past your prime at 31! I feel good and I’m playing good, so hopefully, I can carry on for as long as possible.”
“I have another three years on my contract here and that’s a long time. As long as I’m fit and feel happy I’ll play but it’s hard to decide now how long that will be.
“I can see myself still playing at 35, 36 but it has to be the right club, the right challenge.”
De Bruyne has appeared in 297 games for City in all competitions, scoring 80 goals and assisting on 115 others.
