Former Chelsea winger urges club to sign Kevin De Bruyne for second time

Former Chelsea winger Joe Cole has urged Chelsea to sign former player Kevin De Bruyne for a second time as the Manchester City captain prepares to leave the Premier League in the summer.

Cole’s advice comes in a timely manner when the Blues are in need of an experienced player and a leader to guide the young squad through the transition – and De Bruyne fits the perfect profile.

The Belgian has spent ten years at the Etihad gracing the Premier League with electrifying and quality display – taunted as one of the best midfielders ever to play the English game.

In 414 appearances for City, he has netted 106 goals and assisted 176 times, making Chelsea live to regret letting him go in 2014.

De Bruyne previously played for the west London club from 2012-2013 but only featured in nine games.

The 33-year-old attacking midfielder was shipped out on loan to German side Werder Bremen in 2012 where he developed massively, contributing 20 goals and assists in 36 matches.

In January 2014, Bundesliga giants VfL Wolfsburg secured the midfielder’s signature for £18m.

He would go on to win the German Cup and Super Cup with Wolfsburg while putting up “magical” individual performances which earned him the 2015 Bundesliga player of the year award.

Those spectacular performances didn’t go unnoticed, same year Manchester City pushed for his signature, costing them £54.5m.

kevin De Bruyne for City — De Bruyne has 414 appearances for City, and has netted 106 goals and assisted 176 times (Image credit: Getty Images)

The Belgian has been one of the Premier League’s best midfielders, if not the best – and arguably Man City’s best ever player, having won six six Premier League titles, five Carabao Cups, two FA Cups and a Champions League.

And Cole believes De Bruyne can still be the ‘perfect’ player for Chelsea, playing a big role in the club’s rebuilding phase.

“If I’m Chelsea and I’m sitting around with them [the board], I’m going, ‘we need experienced players’,” he said.

“He’s been injured a bit, but what he gives the changing room as a winner, as a leader, we might only need him for 30 games a season, we can manage him.

“Imagine him walking through the door with those young players and those difficult moments.

“I would say, ‘whatever you want, we’ll write it off’. Come and play for us for two years.”

De Bruyne’s performance last week, during Man City’s 5-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace, needs no second thought. His display of his leadership capabilities showed, despite his age, an arsenal that Chelsea lacks in their dressing room.

The talisman after that game mentioned how hard it has been for him trying to navigate through the recovery process after surgery and stated:

“It’s been a hard year, having a hernia wasn’t fun, but now I’ve been pain-free for the last six weeks and that’s a massive difference – playing with pain or not,” De Bruyne told TNT Sports after City’s win over Palace.

“But now I feel free, I’m able to do a lot of training, and I feel I can do a good job.

Enzo Maresca’s side have had a torrid season so far as they battle for a return to Champions League football – a competition they haven’t been in since 2023.