‘Little did they know’ – Many fans react to what Sky Sports pundits said when Man City signed De Bruyne in 2015

Manchester City signed Kevin De Bruyne for a then-club record fee on this day in 2015.

De Bruyne joined from German outfit Wolfsburg, and the reported £55m fee was the then-second highest paid by a British club after Manchester United’s £59.7m signing of Angel Di Maria the previous summer.

The Belgium international had previously spent an unhappy two-year spell in England at Chelsea between 2012 and 2014.

In the seven years that have passed, it’s proven to be an absolute bargain as De Bruyne has gone on to become one of the best players in world football, helping City to multiple trophies.

It seems crazy now that anyone would question that transfer fee considering what the Belgian has gone on to achieve in the game.

But cast your mind back to 2015 and De Bruyne was considered an expensive mistake.

Man City’s decision to sign him was met with a back page cover by the Mirror that read: ‘The £60m reject‘ before he’d even kicked a ball for the club.

The @MirrorFootball front page, seven years ago today. 👀📰 pic.twitter.com/L3SWoerDtT

— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) August 29, 2022

The signing was also discussed by pundits – namely Phil Thompson and Paul Merson – on Soccer Saturday. And the pair didn’t hold back what they thought of Man City splashing the cash on De Bruyne.

“The world is going mad,” Thompson began. “The amount of money they’re paying for this boy is just absolutely bonkers! He’s a good player, but is he a great player?”

Paul Merson was asked by Jeff Stelling if Jose Mourinho made a mistake by selling him for £18 million.

Merson replied: “I don’t think he got loads of chances, but he didn’t look part of the Chelsea way at the time. I think it was right for him to go. If you’re buying someone for eight million and selling him for a £10 million profit, it’s a no-brainer for me.

“There are some players you look at and think yeah’… I just don’t see this, I just don’t see £50-odd million for this player. I really do not see it at all.

“And this was someone who was at the top club in England, Chelsea, playing there, and it didn’t click.

“He’s played here before, at a top team with top players. Honestly Jeff I thought it was Lira, I did.”

“Absolutely bonkers.”
“Is he a great player?!”
“The world is going mad.”
“I just don’t see £50M for this player.”

What they said about @KevinDeBruyne, when he signed for #ManCity in 2015:pic.twitter.com/c5lnlGCISm

— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) August 29, 2022

This posts shared on Twitter by City Xtra gathered a number of replies from a wide range of Man City supporters, who were not shy in sharing their thoughts on the matter.

“Proved all the doubters wrong 🐐”
Credit: @DxBruyneSZN

“Little did they know ………. ”
Credit: @FoRTeefy

“This never gets old..Nothing more satisfying than seeing the sanctimonious Phil Thompson, and the holier-than-thou Paul Merson being exposed as the two-bit hacks they are!”
Credit: @Doozy_45

“Never mind British football media, ex-players are even worse. Typical example of why you should never write a player off before he attempts to prove himself. Looking back, what a bit of business getting KDB for 50m lol.”
Credit: @Rouel777

“This is comical, the expertise of pundits! ”
Credit: @jamiegoode

“If you still think there’s no club bias in the PL. Think again.”
Credit: @DiwasGorkhali

“I must say i love it when it gets to this time of the year and i get to see this clip again”
Credit: @nesbitt_isaac

“Thanks God we made this move , we are lucky to have Kev in our squad for years and years to come 💙”
Credit: @Tam_Corleone_