17 | Kevin De Bruyne - 2023/24

[Paul1970]

Wirtz maybe? Tbh I don't see it but who knows

We already have his heir and that is Phil foden who is better than wirtz .

 

[Paul1970]

Kev will not quit Belgium as every two years they play a major tournament and he probably loves his country more than his club but need season needs to managed for the big games where he can still operate at top tier but it’s the small games where we roll teams over when Kev should be rested .

 

[richards30]

Needs to cut his hair to get the best Kev back.

 

[oldius]

Kevin was injured for ages this season, appeared in 18 Premier League games, and still nearly topped the assist charts with 10.

Come on now. He's far from finished.

Very poor game yesterday for sure, and he's absolutely lost some pace, sharpness, and ability to dictate games single-handedly. But he's still a colossal source of creativity, goals, and assists, and there's pretty much no one else in world football I'd rather have on the pitch when we need a moment of magic to turn a game around or make a goal out of nowhere. Even when he appears to be playing poorly, he can still put something out of nowhere, as we saw several times this year.

He just needs managing with a lot more care than before, and he needs another player or two to step up (as Phil has done this year) so there isn't as much pressure on his shoulders. He also needs to call it quits with Belgium, without a doubt, and I think he knows that.

It's up to Pep and the board now to firstly, bring in an overdue understudy that Kev can at least rely on to ease some of his burden, or even someone he can mentor and mould in his style, and secondly, to manage him with much more prudence next season.

We will always love Kev, and it is so hard to say goodbye to a great. I fear that is what we need to do, but, as you say, the injuries this year have a significant effect on opinions.
I have felt that he is on the wane for some time, despite moments of brilliance, and that the team is a more threatening one with Phil as the main creative force. Still, I would have no problem to be proven wrong because Kev is a star.

 

[Shazza458]

We need to start using him how RM use Modric - that’s mean we need someone else in too

 

[Tier2Blue]

he has been back half a season and so he will be match fit now. We aren’t getting the old Kev back sadly but he is still capable of moments of genius and could be a key squad player. Will he want that role though? Think there will be a conversation to be had on this.

 

[Keeper!]

Please retire from International football, preferably today, you need a holiday.

 

[Lowtower]

Struggled yesterday.

Been a strange come back from Kev, as he came off the bench in his first game back against Newcastle and was unbelievable.
Might be the case that he can’t do it anymore for a full 90 - who knows, as would be insane to write him off.

 

[Blu3m00n91]

We need to start using him how RM use Modric - that’s mean we need someone else in too

Spot on. KDB will always have his moments and great games but need use it smartly.

 

[hilts]

Concerned