´Building for the future´ shows Manchester City´s vision – De Bruyne

Kevin De Bruyne has been impressed by Manchester City’s transfer dealings over the close-season and believes their activity shows vision as they continue “building for the future”.

Although City did excite at times last season, it was often suggested that they had a number of players past their best or simply not to the standard required by a team wanting to challenge for the title.

A host of those older players have since departed, with Nolito, Jesus Navas, Fernando, Aleksandar Kolarov, Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy and Pablo Zabaleta all making way, while those who have come in are significantly younger.

Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy, Bernardo Silva, Ederson and Danilo arived for a combined figure thought to be about £204 million and, with the England right-back the oldest at 27, 26-year-old De Bruyne now sees himself as one of the elder statesmen.

“City are building for the future,” De Bruyne told Sky Sports ahead of Saturday’s visit to Bournemouth. “[We] want to create a team for the next five or six years and not buy six players every window. It takes time and you cannot spend all the money in one window.

“They [the new signings] have added power and pace especially, which is maybe something we lacked a bit.

“They are very strong, very quick and also very direct; that’s a bit different to last year. They can get up and down for 90 minutes so that will help us.

“The team is much younger than it was when I arrived two years ago. I was one of the younger guys, now I am one of the oldest, so that’s strange.”