MANCHESTER: Manchester City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League first leg quarter-final football match between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on Tuesday. - AFP

LONDON: Kevin De Bruyne has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at Manchester City until 2025, the Premier League club announced yesterday. The Belgium international, whose existing deal was due to expire in 2023, is 30 in June and now looks set to see out most of the remainder of his career at the Etihad Stadium. De Bruyne has had a glittering spell since joining the club from Wolfsburg in 2015, winning seven major trophies, which could rise to 11 by the end of the season if City are successful in their hunt for the quadruple.

"I could not be happier," said De Bruyne. "Since joining City in 2015, I have felt at home. I love the fans, my family are settled here in Manchester and my own game has developed really well. This football club is geared for success. It offers me everything I need to maximize my performance, so signing this contract was a straightforward decision. I am playing the best football of my career and I honestly feel there is more to come."

He said he and manager Pep Guardiola had the same football philosophy. "Having that relationship with a manager is so important to me because our objectives are totally aligned, and we want the same things," he said. City director of football Txiki Begiristain hailed De Bruyne as one of the best players in world football.

"His performance level has been remarkably consistent since coming to City, and in the last few years he has developed into one of the game's elite players," he said. "His talent is unquestionable -- but he is also a consummate professional whose dedication to Manchester City during his time here has been nothing short of remarkable." - AFP