Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola held back tears as he bid farewell to Kevin De Bruyne as his time at the club draws to a close.

De Bruyne made his final appearance at the Etihad Stadium as a Man City player in Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Bournemouth before settling in at the end of the season when his current deal expires.

Pep, who has worked with De Bruyne since 2016, a year after the 33-year-old moved from Wolfsburg, left the club with tears streaming down his face as he paid tribute to the great playmaker. 

“To be honest, there are some things you can’t buy. He’s got all the love and appreciation from the players year after year for what he’s done.”

“It’s a mixed feeling. Part of me is sad because he’s so important to all of us. Part of me is happy because I and everyone feel the connection he has and will always have with the fans.”

“It’s a sad day, we’ll miss him, no doubt about that. It was his day and we wanted to win it for him,” Pep said.

De Bruyne had a golden opportunity to score in front of the City fans on his final day but his effort hit the crossbar, with Pep saying: “It was a great opportunity for him to score, which makes it even more perfect (on his farewell day).”