Scout Report – Kevin de Bruyne

Yesterday afternoon, Kevin De Bruyne became the second most expensive signing in Premier League history after joining Manchester City in a £54m deal from German outfit Wolfsburg.

The former Chelsea winger – who arrives at the Etihad on a six-year contract – spoke of his desire to improve with the Sky Blues while claiming silverware in the process:

“I want to reach the highest level possible as a player and I think the most important thing is that at the end of the season we can be happy and maybe have some titles. I think this is the most important for the club, the players and for the fans of course.”

After seeing his side soar to the top of the Premier League without a single goal conceded, City boss Manuel Pellegrini reckons the new boy’s addition will only strengthen their attacking potential:

“We are very happy to have added Kevin to our team and I have no doubt that he will be a big success on his return to the Premier League. It takes a special footballer to improve our squad and I have no doubt that Kevin is certainly one of those – he has all of the mental, physical, tactical and technical attributes required to fit straight in. We like to play attractive, attacking football and bringing in a player like De Bruyne will only aid us as we fight on four fronts.”

The History

Born in Belgium, De Bruyne started out at local club KVV Drongen, before spending six years at Gent from 1999. A move to fellow Belgian Pro League outfit Genk followed in 2005, where he would spend four years cutting his teeth at the youth academy before earning a senior call-up.

De Bruyne made his competitive bow for Genk in May 2009, recording two brief cameos at the back end of the campaign. His involvement blossomed in the following season, when he featured in all but three (11 starts) of 30 league ties, bagging his debut goal along the way. Injuries permitting, De Bruyne established himself as a regular starter in the next two terms, chalking up 12 goals and 19 assists across 44 outings.

As a reward for his eye-catching displays in Belgium’s top tier, De Bruyne made the switch to Chelsea in January 2012. He was then sent out to Werder Bremen on a loan basis for the 2012/13 Bundesliga campaign. The Belgium international flourished during his stay at the Weserstadion, recording ten goals and nine assists over 33 appearances.

De Bruyne returned to Chelsea for the start of the 2013/14 Premier League season but started just two matches leading into the New Year. Frustrated by a lack of first-team opportunities, he elected to join Wolfsburg halfway through the January transfer window.

In 16 starts for the German outfit during the second half of their season, De Bruyne tallied three goals and six assists. The subsequent campaign harvested a staggering ten goals and 20 assists, rendering the former Genk starlet the top assist-maker across the top five European leagues. As a reward for his exploits, De Bruyne was honoured as the Footballer of the Year in Germany.

De Bruyne made his maiden senior appearance for Belgium in August 2010 against Finland, having carded caps for the U18s, U19s and U21s. Since late 2012, the midfield architect has been a mainstay for the Red Devils, notching eight goals in 33 appearances – which included the opening strike against USA in the last-16 round of the 2014 World Cup.

The Prospects

Although he was predominantly deployed as a number ten in a 4-2-3-1 set-up throughout his stint at Wolfsburg, De Bruyne is also capable of excelling on either flank. The ex-Chelsea recruit played across that supporting trio last term and has been fielded on the right in his most recent three starts for Belgium. Furthermore, De Bruyne occupied the left wing for the majority of his swansong season at Genk, highlighting a versatility that should enhance his security of starts.

Assuming that head coach Manuel Pellegrini chooses to retain a 4-2-3-1 formation, De Bruyne is expected to displace Jesus Navas on the right flank, given that the Spanish winger lacks the end product to nail a starting berth. Alternatively, he could also tuck in behind Sergio Aguero should Pellegrini choose to move David Silva out of the central playmaker role and onto the right. Navas will likely be utilised as an impact player for the time being, entering the fray in the latter stages to stretch the game and provide more traditional width.

Whilst 4-2-3-1 is expected to remain City’s default system, Pellegrini has certainly shown a willingness to alter his team’s shape when necessary. The Chilean moved to 4-4-2 for the second-half against Watford last weekend, with Raheem Sterling joining Aguero up front – this saw Samir Nasri replaced the ineffective Navas at half-time, with Silva moving out to the flank.

Delving into De Bruyne’s underlying statistics, he amassed 111 key passes last term, which far surpassed the output of the Sky Blues’ most creative midfielder, David Silva (93). His key-pass frequency (one every 27.45 minutes) was unmatched by any midfield starter around the Premier League, underlining his playmaking prowess.

In terms of goal threat, De Bruyne posted a shot accuracy of 42.7% and conversion rate of 10.4%. While the accuracy would have ranked top among his Man City counterparts, Silva (18.8%) proved far more clinical with his finishing.

In appreciation of Aguero’s potential for explosive returns and Man City’s four consecutive clean sheets, many Fantasy managers will be sourcing triple coverage comprised of Aguero, one defender and one midfielder. Silva (four assists) and Yaya Toure (two goals and assists) have both started the season in fine form, with the latter boasting the largest ownership by virtue of his cheaper price tag, while Sterling’s weekend goal indicates he will also have a part to play in our Fantasy seasons – particularly if he’s utilised centrally up top whenever Pellegrini switches systems.

As opposed to the Pedro/Eden Hazard conundrum at Chelsea, City’s strong start means that those already holding the likes of Silva, Toure or Sterling will surely be prepared to hold for now, though those Fantasy managers currently without Pellegrini’s midfielders will undoubtedly be tempted by the new boy’s arrival.

Given how kind the upcoming fixtures (cry, WHU, tot, NEW, BOU) are, De Bruyne – who has today been priced at 10.0 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) – is instantly afforded the perfect platform to showcase his talents and make a claim for a slot in Fantasy managers’ five-man midfields.

Further Reference

Kevin De Bruyne Wikipedia Page

Kevin De Bruyne Transfer Markt Page

Kevin De Bruyne YouTube Highlights