Manchester City's signing of Kevin De Bruyne has obviously paid off on the pitch but it has also proved to be a financial masterclass by Txiki Begiristain.
Plenty of eyebrows were raised when City paid for a club-record £55m to sign the Belgian from Wolfsburg in 2015, especially considering his less than successful spell with Chelsea.
However, he proved to be an instant hit with the Citizens and has gone on to make 263 appearances in his six years with the club, contributing an impressive 67 goals and 107 assists.
The 30-year-old was the standout performer in Pep Guardiola's side last season as they ran away with the Premier League, contributing six goals and 12 assists in just 25 top-flight appearances for City, averaging a superb 7.65 rating from WhoScored for his performances.
When he initially joined City back in 2015, Transfermarkt valued him at just £40.5m, whilst he is currently valued at an impressive £90m, representing a 122% increase, which perhaps would have been more if not for the financial impact of the pandemic.
It is no surprise that De Bruyne is rated so highly by Transfermarkt, as few would argue that he is one of the top players in world football at the moment, so Txiki's decision to bring him in back in 2015 has certainly paid off.
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Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers was full of praise for the Belgium international in 2019, saying:
“Kevin is unbelievable. He’s a world-class player and, with world-class players, they’ll find the space.
“You can block up spaces and be tight and organised, but the world-class players will find the space.
“It’s his level and mentality. To see it live, at that level and with that quality, was absolutely great."
Therefore, those at City deserve huge credit for bringing in De Bruyne after he disappointed at Chelsea, and City fans will surely be hoping to see the 30-year-old remain at the Eithad for the foreseeable future.
And, in other news... Txiki should seal Man City swoop for "unbelievable" star, he wouldn't cost a penny