Sunday 30 August 2015 22:05, UK
With Manchester finally capturing Kevin De Bruyne from Wolsfburg for a fee of £54.5m, Nick Wright takes a look at what the former Chelsea man will bring to the Etihad Stadium...
A Capital One Cup tie against Swindon Town in September 2013 may seem like a minor event in Chelsea’s recent history, but for Kevin De Bruyne it marked a significant turning point.
De Bruyne completed 78 minutes at the County Ground that night as Chelsea eased to a 2-0 victory over their League One opponents, but the recently-returned Jose Mourinho was far from happy with the Belgian midfielder’s performance.
"The next time Kevin is on the pitch, he has to think he’s playing for his next appearance," he said. "At Werder Bremen he didn’t need to prove himself so much. This is a different reality. He’s competing against very good players, so every minute he’s on the pitch he has to work really hard."
De Bruyne had been named the Bundesliga’s Young Player of the Year on loan at Bremen the previous season, but he was brought back down to earth with a bump as Mourinho sent him to train with the U21s. That night in the West Country was the beginning of the end for De Bruyne's Chelsea career, and three months and just two starts later he was gone for good.
De Bruyne spoke of "losing his joy" at Chelsea, where Mourinho demands defensive dedication above all else from his wide players, but he soon rediscovered it at Wolfsburg. The 24-year-old has emerged as one of Europe’s hottest properties since his £17m Bundesliga switch in January 2014, and Manchester City's protracted pursuit finally appears to be nearing its conclusion.
The reported £58m fee makes him the second most expensive player in Premier League history. It is an eye-watering sum which reflects an inflated market, but De Buryne's performances last season suggest he justifies the hype. His countryman Vincent Kompany agrees. "Let me put it this way, he is definitely not going to make the team weaker," the City captain said recently. "He's a phenomenal player."
Let me put it this way, he is definitely not going to make the team weaker. He's a phenomenal player.
Primarily operating as the No 10 in a fluid, counter-attacking system, the speedy and skilful De Bruyne was the inspiration behind Wolfsburg’s second-placed Bundesliga finish and German Cup triumph in 2014/15.
Free from the shackles of Mourinho's Chelsea, he finished the season with 20 league assists – more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues – and was named Bundesliga Player of the Season. De Bruyne also scored 10 times in the league alone, meaning only four players in Europe directly contributed to more league goals in 2014/15 – a list which includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero.
Critics may question the strength of opposition in the Bundesliga, but De Bruyne has done it in the big games too. Just ask Bayern Munich. The 24-year-old dismantled Pep Guardiola’s side with a brilliant individual display in January, scoring twice and setting up another as Wolfsburg claimed a memorable 4-1 victory.
"We lost the order in our attacks," said Bastian Schweinsteiger after the game. "We can't do that against a team so strong on the counter with players like De Bruyne."
His importance is not lost on Wolfsburg, either. "Kevin is surely one of the best players Wolfsburg have ever had," said defender Marcel Schäfer. "I would prefer to keep him, not to get the money," added director of sport Klaus Allofs.
The Belgian tormented Bayern again in the German Super Cup last month, laying on the assist for Nicklas Bendtner’s late equaliser and scoring from the penalty spot in the shootout as Wolfsburg denied Guardiola’s men another piece of silverware. He has started their first two Bundesliga games of the new campaign, but they are likely to be his last.
So where will De Bruyne fit in at the Etihad? Pellegrini appears to have struck upon a winning formula this season, with three consecutive victories putting them five points clear of champions Chelsea at the top of the table. In a 4-2-3-1 system, Raheem Sterling and Jesus Navas have operated either side of the irrepressible David Silva, with Sergio Aguero spearheading the attack. The addition of De Bruyne can take them to an even higher level.
Silva’s recent brilliance at No 10 makes him practically unmovable, meaning De Bruyne will probably have to settle for a wide role in the attacking three. He is equally adept on either flank, however, and that flexibility will serve him well. It is a subject Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher recently discussed on Monday Night Football.
"It looks like Silva may not play in the wide areas too much, Navas is yet to convince and Nasri is probably the same," he said. "Sterling gives them that youth and energy, and I think De Bruyne will be the same on the other side.
"They are obviously looking at the wide areas where they need to improve. It could be a case of De Bruyne coming onto the left with Sterling on the right and inter-changing as they have done in the past with Silva and Nasri."
De Bruyne had licence to roam from his central role at Wolfsburg, and only five Bundesliga players averaged more than his 1.6 crosses per game last season, a statistic which illustrates his tendency to drift into wide positions. His versatility makes him a great fit for Pellegrini’s system, and his broad skill-set should provide a considerable upgrade on the more limited Navas.
De Bruyne's dynamism and quick thinking will suit City's high-tempo style, and he is certainly capable of picking passes for the likes of Aguero and Sterling, whose intelligent movement makes them perfect targets for a playmaker – as Silva has found out. He would not offer quite the same natural width as someone like Navas on the right, but he has the edge in most other departments.
The Belgian's excellent transitional play would be a useful asset in the frantic toing and froing of the Premier League, and he averaged 2.9 dribbles per game in the Bundesliga last season, a total only matched at City by new signing Sterling.
In short, De Bruyne and City seem to complement each other perfectly. Living up to a club-record fee will be no easy feat, but that night at the County Ground seems like an awfully long time ago now. The reborn Belgian will hope to show Mourinho and Chelsea what they’re missing.
