DE BRUYNE WARNING YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET
KDB insists Guardiola can take his Blue champions to another level next season with a few big signings to keep his men on their toes
KEVIN DE BRUYNE says Pep Guardiola can take newly-crowned champions Manchester City to “another level” next season.
In a stark warning to the rest of the Premier League, he said City will build on their stunning title triumph by recruiting more world-class players to keep the Blues ahead of the pack.
Guardiola has revolutionised their style of play in his two seasons at the club and De Bruyne reckons a few new faces are just what the champions need to keep the current group on their toes.
“Of course it’s important for the club to add new players and to keep getting stronger,” said the Belgian. “That’s true for all teams. We have a great group of players and with a few additions, hopefully that will take us on to another level.
“Competition will be even tougher next season. Not only in the Premier League but in the Champions League and cup competitions.
“If we want to keep achieving, I think competition for places is a good thing and only makes you try to improve.”
De Bruyne admitted City must build on their latest success by not only retaining the title, but announcing themselves as a major European force by winning the Champions League.
They went out to Liverpool at the quarter-final stage last PEP GUARDIOLA’S young guns can fire Manchester City to sustained success, according to Kevin De Bruyne.
City’s recruitment policy over Guardiola’s two years in charge has seen them reduce the age profile of the squad, with the average age of the team now down to 23.5.
And De Bruyne said the week and he said success in the Champions League is the target for Guardiola’s cosmopolitan squad.
“That’s the next step for us,” said De Bruyne. “We’ve played some great games in the Champions League and we’ve not been too far away.
“Maybe we haven’t gone as far as we would have liked, but there have been performances along the way that show we could do something special.
“It’s great to play at the strategic policy of investing in young talent like Ederson, Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus had paid off and enabled City to build for long-term success.
“Of course, the club has planned for this (with the recruitment of young players),” said De Bruyne. “It’s no coincidence that the players brought in over the last year or highest level and success doesn’t come easy when you’re playing against teams who’ve been around it for so many years. But we improved a little on last season and we’ll look to do the same again next year.”
City sent records tumbling with their 18-game winning run in the Premier League and are focused on beating Chelsea’s double record points tally of 95 and goal return of 103.
Guardiola’s men have set a new standard in England with two have all been of a similar age and we’ll look to build as a group together.
“There’s work to do if we want to achieve more in the future.
“That can be the trickiest thing, to not only win but to keep on winning.
“Having such a young squad will hopefully help us to achieve that.”