Dedryck Boyata, born on 28 November 1990 in Belgium, carved out a career as a steadfast defender who specialised as a central defender. Standing at a commanding 6ft 2in (1.88m) and weighing 13st 3lb (84kg), Boyata's physical presence was undeniable.
Boyata's footballing journey took him to several countries, beginning in July 2009 when he joined Manchester City in the Premier League in England. His first season in 2009–2010 saw Boyata making three first team appearances, followed by seven in 2010–2011, a solitary appearance in 2013–2014, and two in 2014–2015.
In August 2011, he ventured to Bolton Wanderers in League One on loan. During the 2011–2012 season, Boyata managed 14 first team appearances and netted a single goal.
Following his stint at Bolton, Boyata returned to Manchester City in July 2012. Subsequent seasons saw him making sporadic appearances for the City team. In August 2012, he proceeded on another loan to FC Twente in the Eredivisie in Netherlands, registering five first team appearances in the 2012–2013 season.
In January 2013, Boyata returned to Manchester City once again and continued to make intermittent appearances for the team. However, a significant move came in July 2015, when Boyata transferred to Celtic in the Premiership in Scotland for a fee of around £1.5m. His time at Celtic was marked by a steadier series of appearances, with 26 first team outings and four goals in the 2015–2016 season. The following seasons saw him registering 17, 28, and 19 appearances, respectively, netting a total of 8 goals.
Boyata's impressive tenure at Celtic caught the attention of Hertha BSC in the 2. Bundesliga in Germany, resulting in a transfer in July 2019. Over the subsequent seasons, Boyata continued to be a regular feature on the Hertha BSC team, chalking up 28, 19, and 23 appearances in each consecutive season. In August 2022, he moved on to Club Brugge in the Pro League in Belgium for around £1.8m. His season with Brugge saw him on the team sheet for 11 and 5 first team appearances in the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 seasons, respectively.
As of January 2025, Boyata has transferred from Club Brugge to another club, continuing his journey in the beautiful game.
