Diminishing Lights

Two of the greatest Premier League players head into 2025 with their future up in the air. Kevin de Bruyne and Mohammed Salah defined this era of the Prem through their utter dominance.

Now, facing father time, both players face an uncertain future.

The two ex-Chelsea stars became icons as their teams dominated both England and Europe. So many iconic moments and teams revolved around these two players.

When de Bruyne returned to the Prem, many expected his game to take a step back. Even though he lit the Bundesliga up, the Prem remained a large step up for the Belgian. Instead, the midfielder became one of the best midfielders of his generation, if not the best.

Salah followed a similar path to de Bruyne, with both failing at Chelsea and reviving their careers elsewhere. A case exists for Salah as the greatest Premier League player of all time, given the consistency of his long career. Without the Egyptian, Liverpool’s rise couldn’t have happened, cementing his place amongst Anfield greats.

Two players who deserved Balon D’ors potentially will leave the Prem by the end of the season.

Time will eventually come when their legacies will truly be appreciated, but their place among the greatest of all time is cemented.

PHOTO: Jeff Hanisch/Imagn Images

Just like his Belgian team, de Bruyne ends his career at the top without a trophy that eluded him. It was not the Champions League but rather the individual honor that seemed to be the perfect cap to his career.

After being deemed as nothing more than squad fodder at Chelsea, de Bruyne tore up the Bundesliga in a historic manner. At Wolfsburg, he showcased an ability to be a central hub around which his team revolved. His 2014-15 season remains one of the best seasons of recent memory, with his ten goals and twenty assists electrifying Europe.

This insane season pushed him to the forefront of Europe’s transfer window, but it was City who won the race. When he arrived in Manchester, City remained the little brother who needed that star to push them back over the top. While he played well under other managers, Pep understood him the same way he did Iniesta and Xavi.

Despite all that he won and the numbers he put up, there is always a question of what if that haunts de Bruyne—not in terms of anything he won but how he would have looked fully healthy in the latter stages of his City career.

Even as City conquered Europe, de Bruyne was reduced to a minor player in the finals. That became clearer over the past season as Rodri ascended to stardom. In many ways, this turn mirrors that of Yaya Toure’s replacement by the Belgian.

At his peak, the Belgian glided across the pitch, pulling off passes that no other person saw—picking teammates out with the perfectly waited pass that found them right in their stride. That smoothness made him less of a player and more like an artist with the most exact strokes of his brush.

With each passing matchday, it feels like the maestro’s days in Manchester are numbered. In his wake, de Bruyne leaves a legacy of greatness, cementing him as one of the league’s best players ever. 

Salah’s departure, while less imminent, may be more damaging to his club.

As he prepares for his potential move away, the Egyptian’s work remains consistently brilliant.

While both players flopped at Chelsea, Salah’s career after Chelsea never reached the levels of the Belgian. In Italy, Salah flashed glimpses of brilliance but never anything more than a complimentary piece. At Roma, he excelled in this role, forming a great partnership with Edin Džeko.

What made the Liverpool fit so great was the way Klopp understood how to use the Egyptian. Klopp built the team’s offense around the Egyptian, having all the pieces rotate around him. Salah took this opportunity to make Premier League defenses look silly.

Perhaps the defining characteristic of Salah’s career thus far has been his consistency. As recently pointed out, the Egyptian’s numbers will soon be among the greatest Prem players.

PHOTO: Bill Streicher/Imagn Images

Since arriving in Liverpool, Salah has only had two seasons in which he has not tallied double digits in goals and assists. His goalscoring numbers steal the show, but as of writing, he has assisted 74 goals over his time in the Prem. Combine that with his historic scoring runs, and a profile of the greatest attacker that the Prem has ever seen emerges.

Salah conquered the league through a mix of speed, creativity, and elite game reading. No other attacking player possessed his ability to bend defenses to his will. Klopp understood this and fed the ball to the mercurial Egyptian.

In the post-Messi and Ronaldo era, Salah gave the world performances that rivaled the peaks of both greats. There should be no doubt that Salah is the Prem’s greatest-ever player as he potentially leaves the league.

Just as with any era, the end of de Bruyne and Salah’s time in the Prem evokes a variety of emotions. Chief among them is nostalgia, with many harkening back to just a few years ago when the two of them electrified the league with their brilliance.

Now, with their potential exits, it feels that there is no one in the wings waiting to take their places.

PHOTO: Jeff Hanisch/Imagn Images