Dedryck Boyata, a hardened football practitioner, was born in Belgium on the 28th day of November, 1990, and now at 34 years of age commands the defensive strategies for Club Brugge as their central defender. The chap stands tall at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88m) and weighs about 13st 3lb (84kg). His number 28 jersey is a common sight on the greens of the Club Brugge pitch.
According to Transfermarkt, Boyata carries a market value of approximately £270k. His working agreement with Club Brugge will terminate in the near future, with its contractual end date set for 3 January 2025.
Boyata's professional journey commenced when he joined Premier League club, Manchester City in July of 2009. There, he was featured in the first-team lineup in just over a dozen matches spread across four seasons, his performance being consistent albeit sporadic in nature. His stint at Manchester City was punctuated by loan spells – first to Bolton Wanderers in 2011 where he made 14 appearances and scored a solitary goal in league matches, and then to FC Twente in 2012 for a shorter spell that amounted to five appearances.
In the summer of 2015, Boyata traded the sky blues of Manchester City for the green and white hoops of Celtic, in Scotland, signing a contract worth a hefty sum of around £1.5m. It is here that Boyata truly cemented his place as a dominant defender. He spent a fruitful and successful four seasons with Celtic, and his defensive prowess dramatically bolstered the team's performance – as evidenced by his 90 first team appearances, and the netting of twelve goals. His years at Celtic indeed warrant special attention due to the significant impact he'd made on the team's performance and consequential success.
Boyata eventually parted ways with Celtic in 2019 to join Hertha BSC in Germany. There, he continued to demonstrate his robust skillset, making 70 first team league appearances over the next three seasons. It is noteworthy to mention that during his stay, he also scored five goals, quite an achievement for a defender.
Most recently, in August 2022, Boyata transitioned to Club Brugge, with the transaction completed for a fee of around £1.8m. His current record is slightly restrained due to lack of appearances in the current season; however, his experience and stature in the world of football remain at a premium. Further to his regular season appearances, it is worth noting that he also contributed to Club Brugge's Conference League run in 2023 - 2024, making a brave appearance as a substitute.
