Pep Guardiola labels Kevin De Bruyne the ‘second-best passer’ he has worked with after Barcelona legend

• Kevin De Bruyne will leave Man City in the summer after 10 years at the club
• The midfielder is regarded as one of the finest passers of his generation 
• LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Should Oliver Glasner leave Palace for Spurs?

By SPENCER MORGAN

Kevin De Bruyne is the second best passer that Pep Guardiola has worked with, according to the Manchester City manager himself.

Most would argue that De Bruyne is the standout performer of Guardiola’s nine-year City tenure with the Belgian having established himself as one of the all-time great Premier League midfielders.

The 33-year-old has announced that he will be leaving the Etihad in the summer, meaning he has just two games left with the club.

Guardiola has managed a host of the game’s most esteemed players during his time in charge of City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

And he has revealed that only one of them moved the ball better than De Bruyne. 

‘One is (Lionel) Messi,’ he said. And the other two, let me think about it… OK, let me put Kevin second.

Pep Guardiola says Kevin De Bruyne is the second-best passer of a ball he has worked with

De Bruyne has established himself as one of the finest midfielders of his generation

Guardiola says that only Lionel Messi (centre) was more skilled when it came to passing 

‘Messi is the best I have ever seen because Messi has done it really, really close to the box but Kevin is there. It’s just the stats, the goals, the assists, that he provides to the team in the final third and the talent.

‘That is unique, that is why he has been one of the best players this club has had in the whole history. These are big, big words because he has been a special player.’

He was also asked if it will be hard to replace De Bruyne, saying: ‘there are players who are really, really difficult for many reasons, we know that.

‘But the season we have done is the season we have done – we cannot deny it. Of course we have to move forward.’

Guardiola also refused to confirm if De Bruyne would start against Bournemouth on Tuesday, City’s final home game of the campaign.

‘Kevin will get what he deserves. That is the best compliment for his incredible trajectory.

‘What he has done with other legends in the club, it would not have been possible since Sheikh Mansour took over the club to reach another level.’

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Pep Guardiola labels Kevin De Bruyne the ‘second-best passer’ he has worked with after Barcelona legend

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