As Kevin De Bruyne approaches the end of his Manchester City career, he’s named a former Chelsea star as one of his most difficult opponents in the Premier League.
It’s been confirmed that Kevin De Bruyne, 33, is leaving Man City this summer after a decade at the Etihad Stadium.
However, he walks away as one of the greatest players in their entire history.
Chelsea supporters won’t need reminding that the midfielder was once on the books at Stamford Bridge between 2012-2014.
The Belgian playmaker is yet to announce his next club, and he’s been linked with a potential return to West London. It’s been reported that Chelsea have discussed signing Kevin De Bruyne this summer, but it’s viewed as a very difficult deal to actually pull off.
Kevin De Bruyne names N’Golo Kante as one of his toughest Premier League opponents
De Bruyne has paid credit to former Chelsea star N’Golo Kante, 34, by highlighting him as one of his toughest opponents in the Premier League. He also mentioned former Liverpool midfielder Fabinho, too.
When asked about his most difficult opponents, De Bruyne told Sky Sports Premier League: “In the Premier League, the most difficult, I would say Kante, Fabinho was really strong at his time with [Jordan] Henderson and [James] Milner because they cover so much space and they are so aggressive. But I would say probably these two stood out. They are probably the most difficult in the way that they played. Also because they are different.
“Kante is small, but he covers so much space, and he’s a bit tricky. If people are more defensive midfielders, they are more bulky and slower, but Kante is speed and agility, so he’s a very different player to play against.”
Chelsea let Kante go on a free transfer in 2023 to join Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, but he left an incredible legacy at the football club during seven unforgettable seasons.
There are not many individuals in football history that could cover the pitch, both in and out of possession, quite like Kante. We’re certainly not surprised to hear even superstar De Bruyne found it challenging against him.
| Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| 16 | 7 | 1 | 8 |
Eden Hazard raved about N’Golo Kante in 2018 by describing him as the world’s best player in his midfield position.
In terms of Chelsea’s greatest central midfielders, Kante belongs on the top table alongside the likes of Frank Lampard and Claude Makelele.
Moises Caicedo is Chelsea’s modern-day N’Golo Kante
It’s going to be very difficult for any midfielder to ever eclipse what Kante did in Chelsea colours, but Moises Caicedo is a current Blues star who’s a bit of a throwback to the legendary figure.
Earlier in the season, Chelsea fans compared Moises Caicedo to N’Golo Kante because of the incredible running power and industrious work in the centre of the park.
Like Kante, Caicedo is a real nuisance for opponents with his impact in central midfield. The 23-year-old star, who won Chelsea’s Player of the Year this season, is beginning to live up to his mammoth £115m price tag.
If the Blues can improve one or two areas in the upcoming summer transfer window, we think they have the midfield engine room to be a winning side in the years ahead.
