Kevin De Bruyne is 'football royalty' and deserves statue after leaving Manchester City, says Martin Keown
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Updated 05/04/2025 at 17:04 GMT+1
Kevin De Bruyne will bring the curtain down on a decade of glittering successes at Manchester City this summer. The Belgian was hailed as "football royalty" and "one of the all-time greats" by Martin Keown, who also suggested that the defender's former club Arsenal should explore the possibility of signing the playmaker on a free transfer. And Keown said De Bruyne should "of course" have a statue.
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Martin Keown hailed Kevin De Bruyne as "football royalty" and suggested Arsenal should move for his signature in the summer.
On Friday, the 33-year-old announced he would be leaving Manchester City at the end of the season when his contract expires.
The Belgian will bring an end to a trophy-laden decade at the club, having won six Premier League titles, five EFL Cups, two FA Cups and a UEFA Champions League medal.
And Keown lavished praise on the playmaker, calling him "one of the all-time greats".
"For me, he’s football royalty, a top, top player," Keown told TNT Sports.
"He had almost a helicopter view of the game, his vision and then his execution. [He is] one of the all-time greats; there’s no doubt about that."
Ahead of the Manchester derby on Sunday, De Bruyne has so far notched 106 goals and more than 165 assists in 413 appearances in all competitions for Man City.
Named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year five times, De Bruyne will go down as the greatest player City have had since 1992, according to Phil Jagielka.
"He’ll go down as a great," said Jagielka. "You look at the modern era for Man City, you look at the [Sergio] Agueros, the David Silvas and the Kevin De Bruynes, they’re probably the three people that stand out.
"I think he’s probably top of the tree," said Jagielka when asked whether he was City's greatest Premier League player.
"Aguero had quite a few fans; he did an extra-special moment, winning them the league. But obviously Man City have been a juggernaut over the course of the last decade and he [De Bruyne] has been one of the main reasons behind it."
And Keown concurred, saying: "Oh, he’s right at the top of the tree. He’s setting the standards.
"When you’re at a football club, you have to make your mark and people will be talking about this guy forever, now that he’s left that club."
City boss Pep Guardiola reacted to the announcement by insisting that De Bruyne "deserves" a statue outside Etihad Stadium.
And Keown was in firm agreement with Guardiola, though he noted it was "too early" to be thinking about casting the Belgian in bronze.
"Yes, he is [in the same calibre as Dennis Bergkamp, who has a statue outside Arsenal's Emirates Stadium]. It’s too early for statues. You could have had the player in person for another year, Pep," said Keown.
"But no, of course [he should have a statue] to respect him. There’s now a legacy, a history that we’re going to see rolled out, Vincent Kompany and lots of different statues. That’s what comes with the success and they’ve been truly amazing.
"So no, rightfully so, De Bruyne should have his own statue, of course."
While Jagielka acknowledged there is no clear idea where De Bruyne’s immediate future lies beyond the end of the season, Keown suggested Arsenal or Everton should explore the possibility of signing him for free.
"It’s difficult," said Jagielka. "Me and Martin were saying off camera, he’s still got so much to give. It just depends, I suppose, on what he wants to do, where he wants [to go].
"Does he want to go and win a trophy in another league? Italy, Spain? But I think only Kevin will know roughly where he wants to go with his family."
Keown added: "For me, I think he can offer a really good role to someone else. I wouldn’t mind signing him, by the way, for Everton or for Arsenal.
"So no, what a great player and he’ll be sadly missed."
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