Premier League
‘I Do Think’ – Jeremy Doku Thoughts on De Bruyne Leaving Man City
Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku spoke about Kevin De Bruyne after assisting his teammate for the winner against Wolves
Jeremy Doku is ‘sad’ that Kevin De Bruyne is leaving Manchester City when he ‘still has the qualities to play here’. The winger backed up his Belgian teammate after they combined for the winner against Wolves despite the club deciding not to offer De Bruyne a new deal.
City’s greatest ever player has spoken about his disappointment at not being offered anything because he feels he can still operate at the top level. After two years that have been plagued with injuries, the Blues decided that they were not going to renew the 34-year-old’s contract when it renews in the summer.
That made a home game with Wolves the penultimate game De Bruyne will play at the Etihad Stadium, and fans sang his name throughout the match – and especially when he turned in the only goal of the game after excellent work from Doku. He was later substituted to a tremendous ovation, and returned to the field at full-time where the crowd serenaded him again.
It isn’t just De Bruyne that feels he still has plenty to give to the team. Doku spoke after the Wolves game about the quality the veteran still has and how the sadness from fans about the situation is felt.
“I can understand why they are. I have only been for two seasons but I have seen what kind of impact he’s had even before I came,” he said.
“Kevin is one of the biggest legends in history of this club. To see player of his calibre leave is sad and I can understand them.
“I just enjoy every moment I play with him and would say the supporters have to do the same. Obviously it’s very sad and I do think he still has the qualities to play here and he showed it again today.
“It’s a pity he’s going to leave us but I still play with him in the national team so I can still get to enjoy that.”
De Bruyne’s last home game at the Etihad will be the rearranged home game with Bournemouth on Tuesday 20 May, and his time at the club could even be cut short before his contract ends. The playmaker is contracted for the first games of the Club World Cup, although at this point it is far from certain that he will join Pep Guardiola and his squad in the United States for it.
Asked after the game if he would be going, De Bruyne said: “I don’t know. For me, it will depend on whatever happens in the future, you know, depending on what team I’ll go, what competition I’ll play…also if the new team doesn’t want me to play, doesn’t want to risk whatever happens.
“I haven’t spoken to City about it, so I don’t know. If they want to have a conversation, we can. But I’m not sure about this.”
Simon Bajkowski Chief Manchester City writer
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