Manchester City and manager Pep Guardiola are marking all the boxes. Three consecutive Premier League victories and advancement into the UEFA Champions League group stage have the club where they want to be.
One of the brightest and most important factors in this strong start is the performance of Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.
Manchester City made a significant investment in De Bruyne last summer, paying a transfer fee of £55 million to German Bundesliga side Wolfsburg.
A tally of 16 goals across all competitions last season, and a one-man demolition of Paris Saint-Germain in the quarterfinals of the Champions League speaks volumes about why City were willing to pay such a hefty sum for the 25-year old.
We look at why his performance will improve with the passage of time at the Etihad Stadium.
PEP GUARDIOLA’S GUIDANCE
Great players can improve even further with great coaching and management. Kevin De Bruyne has just that with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
Guardiola has helped to develop some of the best players in the world during his time at Barcelona, and he has already shown a significant impact on De Bruyne.
Alongside Guardiola, Belgium national team manager Roberto Martinez has a very positive on the professional development of De Bruyne.
Working with two of the best-known coaches in the World, the Belgian will continue to evolve as a player.
QUALITY TEAMMATES
Manchester City’s roster contains incredible quality at nearly every position, and De Bruyne’s skillset is bound to improve because of it.
Working with players like Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Nolito, De Bruyne is pushed hard in practice each week and competes with some of the best in the world.
The Belgian national team also provides him with the opportunity to work with players like Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku, which only improve his game when back with his club side.
DANGEROUS FREE-KICK ABILITIES
Kevin De Bruyne has already shown that he may be one of the best in the Premier League when standing over a free kick opportunity.
Having already scored 7 goals for Manchester City this season on free kicks, the Belgian professional shows an incredible accuracy when picking out teammates near goal.
He can provide a quality touch or deliver a shot with blistering pace, ensuring that all goalkeepers look to have an extra man guarding the nets when he is standing over the ball.
De Bruyne’s ability in this department has improved rapidly, and he will continue to be a growing force in the English Premier League.
