De Bruyne commits to Manchester City until 2023

Kevin De Bruyne signed a new Manchester City contract on Monday, tying him to the club until 2023.

The Belgian follows Nicolas Otamendi and Fernandinho in committing his long-term future to City, and inks terms during the most fruitful period of his career.

"My intention has always been to stay here at City, where I've felt at home from day one," De Bruyne told the club website.

"Not only are we winning - we are playing great football. It's a pleasure to be a part of and I'm really excited about what we can achieve in the coming years."

De Bruyne is a strong favourite for the PFA Player of the Year prize after being a central figure of City's storming first half of the season. Pep Guardiola's side boasts a 12-point cushion atop the Premier League and eased into the Champions League knockout rounds. In both undertakings, De Bruyne has been a breathless torrent of energy and creativity in the midfield, contributing seven goals and 13 assists.

Since joining Manuel Pellegrini's Manchester City from VfL Wolfsburg in 2015, the 26-year-old first established himself as an integral member of the squad, and now as one of the standout players in Europe. He's become the star that Guardiola predominantly leans on for divine inspiration - be it through his beautifully weighted passes or lung-bursting runs - and has been given the greatest compliment a player can receive from older generations of City fans: comparisons to Colin Bell.

"Kevin's new deal is great news for our club," director of football Txiki Begiristain said. "He has shown this season how important he is to the team and has been integral in everything we've done so far.

"We are thrilled he has committed his long-term future to Manchester City."

De Bruyne will likely be called upon for Tuesday's League Cup semi-final tussle with Bristol City at Ashton Gate. Guardiola's lot possesses a 2-1 advantage from the first leg.