Vincent Kompany will make an emotional return to boyhood club Anderlecht as player-manager after leaving Manchester City following 11 trophy-laden years.
This morning, a day removed from lifting the FA Cup trophy for the second time, Kompany and Manchester City announced that the club captain will leave the club in the summer upon the expiration of his contract, signing off with an unprecedented domestic treble.
And soon after the Belgian shared news on the next chapter of his career, with a return to his roots in "the most passionate yet rational decision" Kompany has ever made.
In part two of his post to fans on Facebook, Kompany wrote the following statement:
Kompany joined Anderlecht as a six-year old and went on to make his professional debut in 2003, amassing 103 appearances for the club and winning two league titles.
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He then joined German side Hamburg in 2006 and spent two years in the Bundesliga before signing for City as a 22-year old in 2008 in a £6 million move.
Making his debut as a central midfielder in a 3-0 win over West Ham United mere days before the Sheikh Mansour regime got under way on Deadline Day, Kompany has well and truly cemented his place in City folklore, lifting four Premier League titles, four League Cups, two FA Cups and two Community Shields in a glittering stint.
Reflecting on his legacy at the Etihad Stadium, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said: "There have been many important contributors to Manchester City's renaissance, but arguably none are more important than Vincent Kompany.
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"He defines the essence of the club. For a decade he has been the lifeblood, the soul, and beating heart of a supremely talented squad.
"A booming voice in the dressing room yet a quiet and measured ambassador off it, Vincent can be as proud of himself as we are of him.
"I am not sure he expected to lift the Premier League trophy on four occasions during his captaincy but he will be remembered and revered whenever this period of unprecedented City success is spoken about by future generations."
In September, Kompany will have a final City send-off in the form of a testimonial at the Etihad Stadium - with all the profits going towards helping end homelessness on the streets of Manchester.
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Kompany has not decided on an opponent just yet, though he did tell SPORTbible in December that Anderlecht were an option.
He did also state his desire to bring back some of City's old-guard for the special occasion, specifically the first generation he played with at the club.
"The whole generation of FA Cup and first league title will always remain special to myself and to the City fans - and I think everyone's desperate to see those faces back at the Etihad," Kompany said.
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"I want to show appreciation for the people that helped me personally in the club to get over the line the first time because I think without it, we wouldn't have been on the same journey today.
"I'd love to see Nigel De Jong back at the Etihad, I'd love to see Zaba [Pablo Zabaleta] back, I'd love to see [Mario] Balotelli back. That would be great. Preparing the invite list!"
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