Kevin De Bruyne linked with Manchester City

Wolfsburg midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has received contact from Manchester City

Manchester City were expected to go toe-to-toe with Chelsea in the Premier League title race last season.

Unfortunately the Citizens just could not keep pace with Jose Mourinho’s side and finished the campaign eight points behind the champions, after the Londoners took their foot off the pedal in the final few weeks of the season.

Stale

The problem with Manchester City last season was there was a sense of the team going stale. The Citizens were still depending on the same players to dig them out of a hole and none of the new big money signings from recent transfer windows had impressed.

In short the City squad are aging and the replacements that have been bought in recent windows have not been good enough.

There was even talk of boss Manuel Pellegrini leaving the club, after City’s perceived poor performance last season. The Chilean has to get it right in the transfer market this summer for City to be successful next season.

Fresh

Manchester City now needs to inject some pace, energy and youth into their squad in the summer transfer window, because if they do not then next season will be a similar story of lagging behind Chelsea, and maybe even other teams like arch-rivals Manchester United, or even Arsenal.

De Bruyne

The good news for City fans is that Sky Sports are reporting this morning that City have made contact with Wolfsburg and Belgium midfield playmaker Kevin De Bruyne. The midfielder confirmed the contact by telling Sky: “We say to everybody – if they want to do something they have to go to Wolfsburg, not to me,”

“I always thought that I was going to talk to my club first when the season was over. And for me the season is not over. That starts probably next week or the week after but I will also be on vacation,”

Impressive

De Bruyne joined Wolfsburg for £18million from Chelsea in January 2014, after he struggled for first team football at Stamford Bridge. First team football was a key to De Bruyne joining Wolfsburg and the midfielder has missed just one game his season.

The 23-year-old has been sensational this season for the Wolves. His team finished second in the Bundesliga, but it was De Bruyne’s individual contribution that stood out.

De Bruyne scored 15 goals and collected 25 assists in all competitions last season. That statistic gave him the most assists from any player in the top European leagues, even more than Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.

De Bruyne has always been regarded as a player with big potential, but this season has seen him fulfil some of that potential in spectacular style.

The youngster is a player that all the top teams will be looking to sign this summer. He seems to have everything needed to become a top quality player. He never fulfilled his potential at Chelsea because he was not given enough playing time, or shown enough faith.

He has found the things he needed to flourish in Germany and is now once again rated as one of the best up and coming young stars in the world game.

Expensive

Kevin De Bruyne’s stellar season means that City could have to pay over £30million to sign the versatile midfielder this summer. The Citizens have spent big in the past, but they will now have to take into account the Financial Fair Play regulations.

However, there is expected to be a squad overhaul at the Etihad this summer, so money is likely to be recouped from player’s sales. Signing De Bruyne must be one of City’s priorities this summer, because he is just the sort of young and hungry player they need to revive their flagging fortunes.

The City midfield of last season containing the likes of Yaya Toure, James Milner and Frank Lampard needed propping up at times. All three are decent players, but it was clear to see that Spanish playmaker David Silva really did need some creative assistance at times.

Title

We are at a relatively earlier stage of the summer transfer window, but the Citizens are currently second favourites to win the Premier League title at odds of 11/4 next season.

There is sure to be changes in that City squad this summer and if Manuel Pellegrini’s club can bring in players like De Bruyne this summer then they will be far more of a threat to Chelsea next season.

Will Manchester City sign Kevin De Bruyne this summer?