The manager who gave Kevin De Bruyne his Belgium debut Georges Leekens, has stated his belief that the midfielder has what it takes to reach the level of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and international team-mate Eden Hazard as the premier players in the world.
De Bruyne joined Manchester City this summer for a club record fee worth around £55 million after a highly successful 18 months with Wolfsburg, where he was named player of the year in the Bundesliga for 2014-15.
Speaking to Goal he spoke of how De Bruyne, anxious to keep his counsel in public, was privately desperate to move to the Etihad Stadium, where he will get the chance to prove himself in the Premier League after an ill-fated spell with Chelsea.
It was Georges Leekens who gave the then 19 year-old De Bruyne his first international cap and also worked with him as a youngster at RAA Gent.
He also said De Bruyne showed the same type of impatience that counted against him at Stamford Bridge but fuelled his return to England, and the veteran coach believes his former protege is ready to become one of the game's biggest stars.
"I think he can go to the highest level." he told Goal.
"I mean on the Messi, Ronaldo and Hazard level. He has already shown what he can do.
"He will grow. Wolfsburg are a good club but Manchester City is bigger and now it's the big jump. He's at the age now where he can start a big career at club and international level."
The coach, who gave De Bruyne his Belgium debut against Finland in 2010, also stated his confidence in his former protege's ability to deal with the pressure that will come with his transfer fee:
"Whether it's £40 million or £70 million, it's a lot but the players don't have to think about this. It's the outside world, it's the price depending on the market. He's not a player who will make problems in the headlines about this price.
"I think his adaptation to Manchester City will be very easy because Vincent Kompany is there.
"He is skillful, has a good mentality and is very intelligent - he reads the game very well. You need intelligence to be at the highest level.
"He's a player who can play a few positions. He can play on the outside, inside, the No.10 role and he can go from box-to-box and is very decisive.
"He's very independent too, very sure of himself but he will stay the same normal guy. He's very aware about his qualities and he knows he has to work hard, and he does."
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