Kevin de Bruyne

[bushman 2,043]

For him to pay 15 to 20m lol. The kid was bought for 7m in 2012. Has not played much. Chelsea will be lucky to get 10m.

[Jype 6,398]

He was probably worth 15-20 at the start of the season, I doubt any German team is gonna pay 20 million for a player who hasn't played for half a year. He made an impression over there though so who knows.

Obviously not sell him at a loss ^^ 10-12M seems about right to me.

Nah, I'll stick with 15-20m euros. If no team is willing to meet the asking price now, it's better to just send the kid on loan to one of the interested teams and sell him once he has consistently shown signs of top form and proven to everyone he's well worth the hefty fee. If he also has a good World Cup his value might actually be even higher than that come next summer but selling him now for a modest price of around 10m will once again make the club look like complete mugs as soon as he starts performing at his own level again, which really should only be a matter of time once he gets back to playing regular first team football.

Anyway, I don't even think that an asking price of around €15-20m will cause any problems if the plan really is to let him go on a permanent transfer. I honestly believe we will have the top Bundesliga teams with the exception of Bayern Munich lining up to sign him and Chelsea as the owner of De Bruyne can name the price and it's up to them to meet it.

I'm still hoping everything would work out for Kevin at Chelsea but at the moment it's not looking very promising for him. If Jose really rates De Bruyne but isn't playing him just because there's too many players at the moment, he should be sent on an 18 month long term loan to a team like Bayer Leverkusen and examine his situation after that. That is of course assuming De Bruyne is handling this in a professional way and not burning any bridges to the people at the club because of the way he's been treated this season.

For him to pay 15 to 20m lol. The kid was bought for 7m in 2012. Has not played much. Chelsea will be lucky to get 10m.

No offense but you're a fucking idiot. De Bruyne hasn't played much at Chelsea, which is understandable given the level of the competition for places in the team for a player of his position, but he has played plenty for other teams and proven to be a much better player than that kid from Genk who wasn't even a regular call-up for the national team but is now one of their most important players. If his level has gone up a few notches, why shouldn't the price have gone up too? Going by your logic, I suppose the value of Thibaut Courtois hasn't risen much either because he hasn't proven himself at Chelsea.

Edited December 19, 2013 by Jype

[Atholy 1,293]

Reading this topic really makes me feel sick. It's been a while since I last posted something... but reading all this bullshit really made me write again.

I've been around this forum for 3 years now... not being the most active poster.... but always a good reader.

The whole KDB saga of him being wasteful and people shouting he should go asap is really a good example of the worst side of Chelsea 'Fans' here on Talk!

It's one thing to have an opinion... (imo everybody is totally free to have one) BUT this opinion should be based on something. And if you decide to come and shout... base it on hard facts! As it comes to KDB, after 4 games or so... who can argument about him on hard facts?? Please!

This is just the smallest side of 'real' chelsea fans who like a club with big names and who will always prefer even bigger names and more money spend ("Roman has money, so everything is possible... attitude!!).

I will not even try to mingle into the KDB story. Clearly I have an opinion since I've seen him playing since his 16-17. But I will give some small hints to the smartboys who are bashing him as whoefull:

• If you ask Jose honestly, he will always tell you he wants KDB to stay. If your manager believes in a player... you might want to think twice before you make your own opinion.
• KDB played in the Bundesliga last year (where he actually did get some minutes). What does it say to you if 4 of the top 6 Bundesliga teams are eager to buy him??? Yes this is the country of the sausages and big beer glasses... but also the country who had 2 teams in the CL final last year!
• KDB easily was the most important player for the Belgian National team in the qualifying round for Brazil. I don't think I have to mention all the names we have in our team these days... (oh yeah a certain Eden who is well adored by all here also plays there).

Anyways... I'm afraid this is all wasted energy. KDB will go to Brazil. You will actually see him play games (and not Leaugue Cup games or Pre season ones) and I'm damn sure a lot of you will be thinking "fuck.. this is the ginger we actually owned last year. Why did hell did we let him go just like that". I hope by then this topic will be closed so I don't have to read all the bullshit again then!!

[Weckerz 3,781]

Reading this topic really makes me feel sick. It's been a while since I last posted something... but reading all this bullshit really made me write again.

I've been around this forum for 3 years now... not being the most active poster.... but always a good reader.

The whole KDB saga of him being wasteful and people shouting he should go asap is really a good example of the worst side of Chelsea 'Fans' here on Talk!

It's one thing to have an opinion... (imo everybody is totally free to have one) BUT this opinion should be based on something. And if you decide to come and shout... base it on hard facts! As it comes to KDB, after 4 games or so... who can argument about him on hard facts?? Please!

This is just the smallest side of 'real' chelsea fans who like a club with big names and who will always prefer even bigger names and more money spend ("Roman has money, so everything is possible... attitude!!).

I will not even try to mingle into the KDB story. Clearly I have an opinion since I've seen him playing since his 16-17. But I will give some small hints to the smartboys who are bashing him as whoefull:

• If you ask Jose honestly, he will always tell you he wants KDB to stay. If your manager believes in a player... you might want to think twice before you make your own opinion.
• KDB played in the Bundesliga last year (where he actually did get some minutes). What does it say to you if 4 of the top 6 Bundesliga teams are eager to buy him??? Yes this is the country of the sausages and big beer glasses... but also the country who had 2 teams in the CL final last year!
• KDB easily was the most important player for the Belgian National team in the qualifying round for Brazil. I don't think I have to mention all the names we have in our team these days... (oh yeah a certain Eden who is well adored by all here also plays there).

Anyways... I'm afraid this is all wasted energy. KDB will go to Brazil. You will actually see him play games (and not Leaugue Cup games or Pre season ones) and I'm damn sure a lot of you will be thinking "fuck.. this is the ginger we actually owned last year. Why did hell did we let him go just like that". I hope by then this topic will be closed so I don't have to read all the bullshit again then!!

While I admire your spirit, in my opinion if a player doesn't deliver people are allowed to criticize. It's just a reality that he has been crap every time he got a chance.

That doesn't mean he is a bad player, but fans who don't know him that well have drawn conclusions, and you can't even blame them. This is the pinnacle of football. You don't deliver, you don't play, especially with 5 players in the team on your position.

I'm sure he'll be fine wherever he goes

[Atholy 1,293]

While I admire your spirit, in my opinion if a player doesn't deliver people are allowed to criticize. It's just a reality that he has been crap every time he got a chance.

That doesn't mean he is a bad player, but fans who don't know him that well have drawn conclusions, and you can't even blame them. This is the pinnacle of football. You don't deliver, you don't play, especially with 5 players in the team on your position.

I'm sure he'll be fine wherever he goes

Sure, people are free to think whatever they want... I have nothing against that.

But I'm sensible when players are not given a chance... and things are not going quick enough for the (spoilt) fans. Because honestly... KDB didn't even got a chance.

If you on the other hand know (just like you) what qualities this player really has... it's so frustrating to see the masses going on a witch hunt!

But as you say... I'm more than sure that KDB will do very fine... anywhere he goes. The only thing is, I wanted him to shine for Chelsea... (and not Leverkusen!)

[Tomo 21,733]

@Atholy,

If you are referring to me, i think it's best if he leaves for a variety off reason's, not because i don't like him or rate him, i think he is very good. But the problem he has here, is who is he is going to displace to play regularly?

Schurrle and Willian offer a bit more balance to the side aswell as a inhuman workrate, so for that alone there will not be many games we go into without one of those two on the team sheet.

That leaves him competing with the Mazacar for the other two spots.

[Atholy 1,293]

@Atholy,

If you are referring to me, i think it's best if he leaves for a variety off reason's, not because i don't like him or rate him, i think he is very good. But the problem he has here, is who is he is going to displace to play regularly?

Schurrle and Willian offer a bit more balance to the side aswell as a inhuman workrate, so for that alone there will not be many games we go into without one of those two on the team sheet.

That leaves him competing with the Mazacar for the other two spots.

I wasn't really referring anyone directly mate. so certainly also not you

Well thing with KDB is... he can be a AM (where we certainly have an overload of good players). But he can just as well be perfect as a # 6. Some will say this is his best position. He's just amazing in distributing the game. The pass and long shot he got in his feet... can only remind me of Lampard/Gerrard.

So if you choose him not to play on the wings or as an AM, IMO he's THE most suitable solution to follow up Lampsy!

And as it comes to Schurrle & Willian (which I do like to see playing), I have to say KDB is at least equally talented! But I can understand 85% of the readers here were not able to see that because he simply didn't play good enough in the few games he had. Although I remember everybody being lyric about him in preseason. Things can quickly change at top teams... That's for sure!

[Jype 6,398]

Well thing with KDB is... he can be a AM (where we certainly have an overload of good players). But he can just as well be perfect as a # 6. Some will say this is his best position. He's just amazing in distributing the game. The pass and long shot he got in his feet... can only remind me of Lampard/Gerrard.

So if you choose him not to play on the wings or as an AM, IMO he's THE most suitable solution to follow up Lampsy!

That's what irritates me the most about this. It's more than understandable that he isn't getting many chances on the wings or in the #10 position because there are many quality players competing for those places too and so far the others have made better use of their opportunities than De Bruyne has but why has he not gotten at least one chance in midfield? It's not like Lampard has been all that great this year and at 35 he simply doesn't have the legs to play so often anymore. It's ridiculous that even Essien who has been woeful this season keeps getting chances ahead of KdB when it's time to rotate so one must assume there's something going on behind the scenes we're not being made aware of.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

That's what irritates me the most about this. It's more than understandable that he isn't getting many chances on the wings or in the #10 position because there are many quality players competing for those places too and so far the others have made better use of their opportunities than De Bruyne has but why has he not gotten at least one chance in midfield? It's not like Lampard has been all that great this year and at 35 he simply doesn't have the legs to play so often anymore. It's ridiculous that even Essien who has been woeful this season keeps getting chances ahead of KdB when it's time to rotate so one must assume there's something going on behind the scenes we're not being made aware of.

De Bruyne was never going to play in central midfield and I don't know why people go on about this. His skill set just doesn't work at all there. (And yes, I know he played some there with Genk, but that's a different world entirely) De Bruyne is terrible defensively and is a low percentage passer and his main skills are crossing and key passes which means that he should be playing up the pitch. He's a #10 or maybe the attacking midfield of a 4-3-3. He could play winger in the right system even. I can see Oscar being moved to the pivot as he has the right skills to make it work but De Bruyne never made any sense there anymore than putting Mata in the pivot makes sense.

[DYC. 7,542]

De Bruyne was never going to play in central midfield and I don't know why people go on about this. His skill set just doesn't work at all there. (And yes, I know he played some there with Genk, but that's a different world entirely) De Bruyne is terrible defensively and is a low percentage passer and his main skills are crossing and key passes which means that he should be playing up the pitch. He's a #10 or maybe the attacking midfield of a 4-3-3. He could play winger in the right system even. I can see Oscar being moved to the pivot as he has the right skills to make it work but De Bruyne never made any sense there anymore than putting Mata in the pivot makes sense.

Technically you're right. But I can't help but think of Schweinsteiger, or even Scholes, when thinking of Kevin. He used to be an attacking midfielder too, playing on the right in a 4-4-2. Not a player known for defensive qualities at all back then but we all know who he is now in centre midfield. Slightly different case with Scholes, who played in advanced central role at first but he's a lot less like KDB in terms of playing style.

With proper coaching, I have a strong feeling he could learn to play the position. But if those reports about him in training are true, he might not have the right attitude right now or he just doesn't click with Mourinho.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Technically you're right. But I can't help but think of Schweinsteiger, or even Scholes, when thinking of Kevin. He used to be an attacking midfielder too, playing on the right in a 4-4-2. Not a player known for defensive qualities at all back then but we all know who he is now in centre midfield. Slightly different case with Scholes, who played in advanced central role at first but he's a lot less like KDB in terms of playing style.

With proper coaching, I have a strong feeling he could learn to play the position. But if those reports about him in training are true, he might not have the right attitude right now or he just doesn't click with Mourinho.

Even if coaching could make him into a defensive midfielder which is extremely doubtful (the fact that you can name the players who made the move shows you how few actually do), it would take some time. He's not almost ready to be moved there, he needs a lot of work to work on his game meaning he'd need to be loaned out to a team willing to play him in central midfield.

[Jype 6,398]

Even if coaching could make him into a defensive midfielder which is extremely doubtful (the fact that you can name the players who made the move shows you how few actually do), it would take some time. He's not almost ready to be moved there, he needs a lot of work to work on his game meaning he'd need to be loaned out to a team willing to play him in central midfield.

No one is saying they want to make him a defensive midfielder because that would be ridiculous, but turning KdB into a sort of deep lying playmaker everyone is crying out for wouldn't be that far fetched. For what it's worth, in my opinion De Bruyne has all the tools required to become an excellent player in that role but it's clearly not gonna happen so no point discussing it further.

[DYC. 7,542]

Even if coaching could make him into a defensive midfielder which is extremely doubtful (the fact that you can name the players who made the move shows you how few actually do), it would take some time. He's not almost ready to be moved there, he needs a lot of work to work on his game meaning he'd need to be loaned out to a team willing to play him in central midfield.

I'd prefer the term centre midfielder, i hear/read defensive midfielder and I think of guys like Mikel and Sven Bender etc. Anyway there are more examples btw, think of Verratti of PSG. Arteta was an attacking midfielder at Everton before Wenger moved him to a role in front of defense. Dembele was a striker (I always smile when thinking about it, he's a awful finisher), then moved to the wings and now he's a centre mid. Gerrard's best years were as an offensive player and we know where plays now, a role he fills in quite well I have to say. Pirlo's another example but you'd have to waaaay back.

There's just something about KDB's game that makes me think of Schweini. It would take time yes though I think it's mostly a case of commitment from him and willingness to take a chance or to even see it at all (Schweinsteiger was 25 I think when Van Gaal played him there).

[wilander 35]

De Bruyne should leave, we have excessive attacking midfielders.

We need a strong defensive midfielder.

[Hamilton 2,120]

So now media are saying we want to include a buy-back option..

[bushman 2,043]

Chelsea inform KDB he can leave.

There should be no shortage of clubs in Germany interested.

Most likely, sold for approx. 10m, I feel.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

No one is saying they want to make him a defensive midfielder because that would be ridiculous, but turning KdB into a sort of deep lying playmaker everyone is crying out for wouldn't be that far fetched. For what it's worth, in my opinion De Bruyne has all the tools required to become an excellent player in that role but it's clearly not gonna happen so no point discussing it further.

I think it is far-fetched or rather a case of wish fulfillment. De Bruyne's game is pretty much the opposite of what you'd want from a deep-lying midfielder and his skills are tailor-made for an attacking position. I don't think people appreciate how bad De Bruyne is defensively right now and how much that matters. De Bruyne has started 5 games with Chelsea and has 1 tackle, 7 fouls and 0 interceptions in those games. That's beyond atrocious. Juan Mata is a poor defensive player and has 11 tackles and 6 fouls. Schurrle has 2 more fouls than De Bruyne in the league but has 14 more tackles and 7 more interceptions. Statistics don't tell the whole story though (even though when they are that damning, they are impossible to ignore) and when you watch Chelsea, you can see how easily teams bypass De Bruyne either by doing a quick give and go around him or by running right by him. His pressing is poor, his tackling is poor, his positioning is poor, the lanes he chooses to defend are poor, his defensive instincts are poor, etc...Some teams can choose to ignore than. Mata hasn't had to play much defense in the last 2 seasons for example, but there's a cost to the team as well and in central midfield is utterly impossible to have a player like that.

@DYC. Yes, maybe it's theoretically possible but I don't see why we would. He doesn't really remind me of Schweinsteiger in the least because when I think of him, you think work-ethic, determination, etc...Schweinsteiger's first appearance was as a LB. He was always a versatile player capable of playing multiple positions and they just had to find the right position for him. De Bruyne is a finesse player who is hard to envision as anything other than an attacking player. I also don't see why so many people want to force him into our lineup where he doesn't belong. (BTW, Arteta was originally a deep-lying midfielder who Everton moved forward. Wenger just moved him back to his original position)

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

I would only sell the boy if we had a buy-back clause of 15 million so we could bring him back in two years. He'll be a player at 24.