According to reports, De Bruyne announced last week that he would leave Manchester City at the end of the season when his contract expires, becoming a free agent after several years at the Etihad Stadium.

He delivered a stunning performance, reminiscent of his peak years, in the recent match where Pep Guardiola’s side secured a 5-2 victory over Crystal Palace, boosting their hopes for Champions League qualification next season.

De Bruyne scored from a free-kick and provided the assist for Mateo Kovačić’s goal, despite City trailing by two goals in the first half. Now, Cole hopes the Belgian star might reconsider his decision and stay in the Premier League next season.

When asked on TNT Sports whether De Bruyne could change his mind and renew his contract at the Etihad, Cole said: “I think there’s still a chance. When he talked about playing pain-free, nothing is worse than playing through an injury—something others don’t notice, which might reduce your performance by 10 to 15 percent.

When you play without pain, there are no limits, and you feel like you’re back in top form. Maybe at some point this season, he was really affected by injury. But who knows? We’ve seen stranger things in football. From the Premier League’s perspective, everyone would love to see him at this club or another in the league.”