Kevin De Bruyne's impressive start to the season has saw him claim many plaudits for his impressive displays under new coach Pep Guardiola. The Belgian international has developed his game to become of the finest players in the world right now, but just how good is he?

His move to Manchester City didn't come without criticism and scepticism as many experts believed De Bruyne was not worth his £54million price-tag. His disastrous Chelsea career ended with many believing he was not one of the games finest young talents.

Guardiola has certainly manage to get the best from De Bruyne this season, stating he believes only Lionel Messi is better than the Belgian international.

We feel Guardiola is too modest and that De Bruyne is the best player in the world right now, and here are five reasons why!

Big game performances

If it wasn't for Kevin De Bruyne's return to fitness at the end of last season, who knows where Manchester City may have ended up. Key goals in games against Arsenal and Bournemouth saw City finish fourth - just ahead of city rivals Manchester United.

Big goals against Paris Saint-Germain last season gave City their first Champions League semi-final at the fifth attempt. Now this season De Bruyne has continued his red-hot form as he decimated Manchester United at Old Trafford as well as being the heart of City's attack in the Champions League against Borussia Monchengladbach.

Goals and Assists

Sergio Aguero has been the most crucial member of City's squad for a number of seasons, but now De Bruyne's contribution with dozens of goals and assists now make him the gem in City's crown. 19 assists and 15 goals in just 49 games make De Bruyne the hottest player in England.

There isn't a player in the world that is contributing to games as heavily as De Bruyne is for City and should this form continue will we surly see him mentioned in contention with winning a Ballon D'or crown?

Mental Strength

Following his much-anticipated move to the Etihad in 2015, De Bruyne was under pressure to deliver for City as the club forked out £54million for an apparent flop.

De Bruyne's Chelsea career saw him publicly criticised by manager Jose Mourinho on a number of occasions and as a result he decided to leave London for Germany. At Wolfsburg, he proved he was capable of playing at the top of the European game before a move to Manchester City saw a determined De Bruyne keen to emulate his success in Germany.

Famously deemed a £54million failure, De Bruyne's mental strength to shrug off his price-tag and perform makes him one of the strongest players in the game presently.

Technical ability

De Bruyne's technical ability has seen comparisons drawn between him and Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp. His strength and power combined with his vision make him capable of controlling the game from any position on the field.

Left foot or right foot, De Bruyne has the ability to find space and create a chance under any situation. His stunning performances under Guardiola make him capable of controlling the tempo of City's play which comes as no surprise as City have won eight games from eight this season when De Bruyne has started.

Adaptability

Not many players can have such an influence on a game from a number of positions, but that's what Kevin De Bruyne can do. The 25 year-old mainly played as a winger under Manuel Pellegrini and some of his hottest form was from the right-wing.

Under Guardiola the Belgian international is playing in a central role and his general play has gone up a notch. Whether it is from wide or centrally, De Bruyne has a knack of controlling a game where ever he plays. In the Champions League, he has also played as a false 9 and scored crucial goals against Sevilla and PSG as City went onto claim a semi-final place for the first time in their history.