Vincent Kompany has become synonymous with Manchester City’s glory days in the last decade. The 33-year-old has gone from helping City into the Champions League to winning league titles.
The veteran star is a major influence in the City dressing room. However, nobody expected him to smash home the winning goal for the Citizens from 30 yards against Leicester on Monday night.
Like most people, I was shooting ‘Don’t shoot from there!’ Reportedly Kompany’s teammate Raheem Sterling shouted a similar thing at the defender prior to his strike. It was typical of Kompany, who was there when his team really needed him.
Kompany has played fewer games in recent seasons
At his peak, Vincent Kompany was, without doubt, one of the finest centre-backs of the Premier League era. When he was missing from the team, City were noticeably weaker in defence. Unfortunately, in recent years, the Belgian international has played fewer games due to injuries.
However, despite playing fewer games, Kompany is the consummate club captain. His influence in the City dressing room is massive. In football, there are a lot fewer true leaders, who command respect, but Kompany is one of the few at the top clubs.
Future at City is in doubt
Kompany’s Manchester City future is in doubt, as his contract expires in July. He is now ageing and playing in the highly physical Premier League is not great for his body, especially due to his injury problems. There were claims that Kompany may retire from the game in the summer.
However, the centre-back has stated that he will not retire this summer. Citizens boss Pep Guardiola has stated that he will sit down with Kompany at the end of the campaign and discuss his future.
Manchester City no doubt has the resources to bring in a player to replace him on the pitch. However, those aforementioned leadership skills will be difficult to replace, no matter how much money the Citizens have available to spend.
Kompany does not seem ready to retire. He could stay at City. However, I suspect that he would only be a backup player to John Stones and Aymeric Laporte, who seem like the most likely long-term partnership in the centre of the City defence.
If the centre-back moved on to another top-level club, there would be question marks over how many games he would be able to play each season because of his age and injury record.
He still has major quality and his experience would be valuable to a new club, though. A move to the MLS has been mooted, which may not be a terrible move for Kompany, who has enjoyed a trophy-laden City career.
Could end on a major high note
If this is Vincent Kompany’s last season at Manchester City then he could end his time in Manchester on a high note. The former-Hamburg star has already won the Premier League three times and FA Cup once, among other trophies with the Citizens.
The centre-back could add to his trophy collection in Manchester in the next few weeks. A win over Brighton on Sunday afternoon will clinch the Premier League title, while the Citizens are also the favourites to beat Watford in the FA Cup final at odds of 1/ 4.
Vincent Kompany has become a Manchester City legend over the last decade or so. However, all legends stories have to come to an end. The centre-back may have just given the City fans the perfect farewell gift, with his unbelievable goal that could prove so vital in the race for the Premier League title.
Will Vincent Kompany leave Manchester City this summer?
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