Ashley Cole has claimed that he has been surprised to see how outstanding of a player a certain figure has become at Manchester City.
A perception exists that Pep Guardiola’s men have a habit of signing elite players at all times.
However, that could not be further from the truth.
For instance, two seasons into Rodri’s arrival at the Etihad Stadium, there were justified questions about whether he was of the standard to become a world-class defensive midfielder.
The Spaniard’s main struggle was when defending in counter-attacking situations and while a player can improve several parts of their game, one can only boost their speed and stamina to a certain extent.
Cut to the present and Rodri is believed to be viewed within the club as a player who could potentially get a statue outside the Etihad Stadium one day.
Cole says he’s been shocked by how good one City player has become
The same can be said about John Stones.
When City signed the Englishman in 2016, especially off the back of a rocky final season for Everton, several fans and pundits alike were convinced that he would underwhelm.
However, in the past few years, John Stones has been up there with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Ruben Dias and Thiago Silva as one of the best centre-backs in Europe.
When players develop into superstars at top clubs, the team in question is considered fortunate to have them in their ranks.
However, the developmental stage often gets brushed under the carpet.
Or, if they instantly become a huge success, it seems like the club simply signed a world-class player.
However, the perception before they put pen to paper is not spoken about enough.
Such is the case with Kevin De Bruyne as Ashley Cole, who played with him at Chelsea admitted [via the Premier League’s official YouTube channel] that he has been stunned to see the player he has become.
“I’m going to go Kevin De Bruyne”, Ashley Cole initially said about Kevin De Bruyne being his pick as a current Premier League player to be named in the division’s Hall of Fame in the future.
Cole continued, “If I’m honest, I didn’t see he’d get to this level. I don’t think you do, I’ve played with Mo Salah, you see attributes in them but again, you have to give the player credit because they continue to work hard and really graft their craft to get them where they are today.”
“To see what Kevin De Bruyne does week in, week out, his thought process, his thinking patterns are just on a different level. Some of his assists, the quality of his passes, every type of pass he has, very humble guy, hardworking player, so yeah, I’d like to see Kevin De Bruyne.”
Much like Ashley Cole, several of his former Chelsea teammates feel the same way about Kevin De Bruyne.
John Terry also admitted that he did not expect the Belgian to reach the heights he could and still regrets not having nurtured him as a young player, considering he was the Blues skipper.
John Obi Mikel also revealed that the 32-year-old was quite a poor trainer during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Kevin De Bruyne responded in the best way possible
It seems like the senior players at Chelsea like Ashley Cole perhaps did not do their best to put Kevin De Bruyne under their wings.
However, fair play to Cole, for instance, for admitting that the £54.5 million man has deservedly turned into an elite player.
Often, young players feel frustrated at clubs due to not getting enough playing time.
However, they sometimes take the route of social media or interviews to make cryptic remarks about the club in question.
Kevin De Bruyne showed Chelsea why he deserved to play more football during his time at VFL Wolfsburg and after returning to the Premier League, he instantly showcased why he is the real deal.
The best way to silence one’s doubters in a footballing sense is when a player lets his performances change the narrative about him.
