Kevin De Bruyne

[Bastian]

SAF didn't sell Pogba. It was a mistake not to play him but he would never have let Pogba leave if he had the choice

Wasn't comparing it pound for pound, of course the circumstances were very different and SAF didn't actively sell the player thereby judging him as not good enough (so Jose's looks worse). I still see SAF's handling of Pogba as a colossal feck up though.

 

[VorZakone]

Up to the age of 22/23 there was little hype about the guy, no one really seemed to pay much attention to him except for a few posters acknowledging his performances at Bremen and the first few months at Wolfsburg. Interesting career trajectory he's had.

 

[Baby Groot]

drugs?

 

[Hammondo]

drugs?

What?

 

[Bastian]

drugs?

By that logic we could just give PEDs to a couple of promising young players and they'd turn into Messi and Cristiano.

 

[totaalvoetbal]

Johan Cruijff had Michael Laudrup. Pep Guardiola has Kevin de Bruyne. The chain continues.

 

[Harry190]

Sterling should give him half his salary. He's earning his living off this guy.

 

[hn4manunited]

Mourinho has a nasty habit of dumping really top young prospects then questioning their professionalism to justify it

In Salah lukaku and KDB. He's sold maybe 300-350m worth in today's fees for less than 50 and an idiot knew them players would make it given a chance

This is either a naive or ignorant post. When young players don’t break into first team that requires “success now” they look elsewhere for more play time. People keep saying Jose dumped them. If a young player wants to play now but is not ready and has a bad attitude about it, a manager has to let them go. Jose has always said that he never stops players who don’t get enough game time to go if they have decided they want to go.

When they mature and become a better player, you actually have to thank the manager for letting them go elsewhere to develop. If the manager held on to them, they may not develop that chip on their shoulder to go get to the next level. Many of the pundits who were successful ex-players have said this. Young players don’t always put their efforts in thinking they’ve made it. So, it’s good to give them a kick in the bum to get them to see out their potential.

 

[el3mel]

Mourinho has a nasty habit of dumping really top young prospects then questioning their professionalism to justify it

In Salah lukaku and KDB. He's sold maybe 300-350m worth in today's fees for less than 50 and an idiot knew them players would make it given a chance

Don't care. As I said in Salah thread, as long as he doesn't do it here I'm fine with any player he sold at Chelsea. In fact him selling Lukaku benefited us, he's now ours!

 

[Prometheus]

Up to the age of 22/23 there was little hype about the guy, no one really seemed to pay much attention to him except for a few posters acknowledging his performances at Bremen and the first few months at Wolfsburg. Interesting career trajectory he's had.

People who knew of him since he was 20/21 knew he was the real deal though.

I remember how hyped people were about his passing even then. It's unreal!

 

[AllezLesDiables]

This is either a naive or ignorant post. When young players don’t break into first team that requires “success now” they look elsewhere for more play time. People keep saying Jose dumped them. If a young player wants to play now but is not ready and has a bad attitude about it, a manager has to let them go. Jose has always said that he never stops players who don’t get enough game time to go if they have decided they want to go.

When they mature and become a better player, you actually have to thank the manager for letting them go elsewhere to develop. If the manager held on to them, they may not develop that chip on their shoulder to go get to the next level. Many of the pundits who were successful ex-players have said this. Young players don’t always put their efforts in thinking they’ve made it. So, it’s good to give them a kick in the bum to get them to see out their potential.

The problem was that Jose benched KDB because KDB is a bit of a red ass and can be difficult. Even in 2012 KDB’s talent was clearly evident.

Lukaku and Salah were different in that regard.

 

[Irish Jet]

His athletic transformation is hilarious.

 

[Keeps It tidy]

His athletic transformation is hilarious.

????

 

[kouroux]

Here we fecking go with the Mourinho bashing again.. It's getting tiring now.

 

[hn4manunited]

Here we fecking go with the Mourinho bashing again.. It's getting tiring now.

It’s in every thread. Every single bit that anyone can dig up whether it was reasonable or not will be used.

 

[Keeps It tidy]

Up there with Cristiano 07-08, Suarez 13-14 in best individual seasons I have ever seen in the PL.

 

[AllezLesDiables]

His athletic transformation is hilarious.

You mean when he was top 5 in the Bundesliga in kms run both years he was there.

 

[Emptihead]

If he and Belgium do well in the world cup could have a real shot at winning the ballon d'or. Top three at the least.

 

[Greck]

His athletic transformation is hilarious.

Let me guess. You're implying PEDs.

 

[kouroux]

It’s in every thread. Every single bit that anyone can dig up whether it was reasonable or not will be used.

Didn't Mourinho want to keep KDB but the player himself wanted to play elsewhere to develop ? It's bad enough when pundits blame Mourinho any chance they get, to see so-called United fans do the same is weird to me. It's not like KDB would be playing for Man United right now anyway is it ?

 

[Kapardin]

Didn't Mourinho want to keep KDB but the player himself wanted to play elsewhere to develop ? It's bad enough when pundits blame Mourinho any chance they get, to see so-called United fans do the same is weird to me. It's not like KDB would be playing for Man United right now anyway is it ?

He did, but I don't think he recognized what an insane talent KDB is, or he wouldn't have acceded to his request to let him go. Think Jose probably thought he was a talent on the level of Lukaku or similar, and not potentially one of the best players in the league.

It was a massive mistake, but every manager makes some mistakes, so no sense beating him with that stick.

 

[giorno]

Top 3 in the world for me. Messi>Neymar>De Bruyne

This. You'd have to be blind or clueless to disagree

 

[fergies coat]

Up there with Cristiano 07-08, Suarez 13-14 in best individual seasons I have ever seen in the PL.

Nowhere near Ronaldo 07-08

 

[Prometheus]

This. You'd have to be blind or clueless to disagree

Messi > Neymar > De Bruyne > Salah.

 

[kouroux]

He did, but I don't think he recognized what an insane talent KDB is, or he wouldn't have acceded to his request to let him go. Think Jose probably thought he was a talent on the level of Lukaku or similar, and not potentially one of the best players in the league.

It was a massive mistake, but every manager makes some mistakes, so no sense beating him with that stick.

Maybe, maybe not. KDB was sure hellbent on leaving and in the end you cannot refuse that to a player. I just find it annoying the way Mourinho keeps being blamed for it over and over again.

 

[diplomat]

What a player. De Bruyne is like City's midfield version of peak Wayne Rooney, top quality in every aspect, has that engine to run for days but most importantly - he has the attitude and mentality of a world class player and a winner, which is what helps in elevating the whole play of Guardiola's football.

The worst thing is they have such a young squad and might even have another level in themselves, but I guess we will see that next season.

 

[GhastlyHun]

Didn't Mourinho want to keep KDB but the player himself wanted to play elsewhere to develop ? It's bad enough when pundits blame Mourinho any chance they get, to see so-called United fans do the same is weird to me. It's not like KDB would be playing for Man United right now anyway is it ?

DeBruyne wanted to play more, Jose wouldn't guarantee him more play time.

 

[kouroux]

DeBruyne wanted to play more, Jose wouldn't guarantee him more play time.

And rightly so IMHO considering the context at the time. In the end, it worked out for him.

 

[Keeps It tidy]

Maybe, maybe not. KDB was sure hellbent on leaving and in the end you cannot refuse that to a player. I just find it annoying the way Mourinho keeps being blamed for it over and over again.

Even at the time the decision and the whole situation seemed baffling.

 

[GhastlyHun]

And rightly so IMHO considering the context at the time. In the end, it worked out for him.

Don't think anyone at Chelsea sees it that way. Certainly not now.

 

[diplomat]

And rightly so IMHO considering the context at the time. In the end, it worked out for him.

So playing Oscar instead of De Bruyne turned out better for Chelsea? I mean, just look at where both players are currently.

I'm also pretty sure Chelsea fans would love to have KDB in their current team and maybe then Hazard wouldn't be pushing for a move to Real Madrid.

 

[Greck]

Maybe an unpopular opinion but I can't help but feel Pogba would look almost as good in a similar system. No prejudice to KDB as he's clearly a better player and more mature passer and isn't a lazyass like Pogba but Baldie's system is a playmaker's paradise. Attackers are well drilled on positioning and off ball movement. You'll always have an embarrassment of options on the near and far post

 

[Ian Reus]

So playing Oscar instead of De Bruyne turned out better for Chelsea? I mean, just look at where both players are currently.

I'm also pretty sure Chelsea fans would love to have KDB in their current team and maybe then Hazard wouldn't be pushing for a move to Real Madrid.

I'm not 100% on this but was it not Lampard who was in his position at the time?

 

[kouroux]

So playing Oscar instead of De Bruyne turned out better for Chelsea? I mean, just look at where both players are currently.

I'm also pretty sure Chelsea fans would love to have KDB in their current team and maybe then Hazard wouldn't be pushing for a move to Real Madrid.

I didn't say that now did I ? Of course it's easy, in hindsight to say that Mourinho should have kept KDB but try to understand it from his POV. Certain managers don't like it when players, specially young ones, want guarantees in terms of playing time. SAF didn't want that with Hazard too (on top of not wanting to pay his agent).

Don't think anyone at Chelsea sees it that way. Certainly not now.

That is why I put "considering the context at the time". It's so easy to criticize in hindsight.

Even at the time the decision and the whole situation seemed baffling.

Not really for me tbh. I could understand both parties' views.

 

[hn4manunited]

Even at the time the decision and the whole situation seemed baffling.

Why did it seem baffling?

 

[breakout67]

De Bruyne would not be the player he is now if he stayed at Chelsea. Him moving to City has actually raised his level; which would obviously be impossible if he stayed at Chelsea.

Not to mention, him moving to Wolfsburg was probably important for his confidence. To be the main man, and get consistent game time, and eventually player of the season would have done wonders for him.

 

[diplomat]

I'm not 100% on this but was it not Lampard who was in his position at the time?

I just checked and both played a lot of games - 47 in total for Oscar and 40 for Lampard (33 league appearances to 26, respectively for each player). They also had Schurrle as a player in their starting eleven, who has nowhere near the talent of De Bruyne.

I didn't say that now did I ? Of course it's easy, in hindsight to say that Mourinho should have kept KDB but try to understand it from his POV. Certain managers don't like it when players, specially young ones, want guarantees in terms of playing time. SAF didn't want that with Hazard too (on top of not wanting to pay his agent).

Well SAF was wrong about both Hazard and Pogba. We wouldn't have needed such a big transition after Sir Alex's retirement if we had these two players and in my opinion, we would even have been title contenders under anyone else but Moyes.

Jose was also wrong for his handling of De Bruyne and even Salah. I do say it in hindsight but considering their peak performance levels, I don't understand how Mourinho did not see their incredible potential.

 

[DiceRoller]

What a player. De Bruyne is like City's midfield version of peak Wayne Rooney

Please stop. Peak Wayne Rooney was never in the same conversation as a potential Ballon D’or winners nor actual winners.

If KDB continues this trajectory, he’s miles ahead of Rooney.

Time will tell.

 

[Keeps It tidy]

Why did it seem baffling?

He was great for Werder Bremen, Mourinho talks him out of leaving the club, gives him a few starts at the start of the season, then he disappears to the bench forever and then suddenly he was sold.

 

[Ian Reus]

I just checked and both played a lot of games - 47 in total for Oscar and 40 for Lampard (33 league appearances to 26, respectively for each player). They also had Schurrle as a player in their starting eleven, who has nowhere near the talent of De Bruyne.

That was also 4 or 5 years ago so a different player now.