Jamie Redknapp believes Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne possesses greater passing ability than Manchester United legends Paul Scholes and David Beckham.
The Belgium international has had yet another outstanding campaign, with his eight goals and 16 assists making him a prime candidate for the Premier League Player of the Year award.
De Bruyne is just four away from equalling Arsenal hero Thierry Henry’s record of 20 assists in a season, and according to Redknapp, his passing range is unrivalled
The former Liverpool midfielder told Sky Sports: ‘I would say he’s the best Premier League passer I’ve seen, and that’s including David Beckham, Paul Scholes, all of them, because he has the variation of passing.
‘If we finish the season, he will break Thierry Henry’s assist record [of] 20.
‘His weight of pass is phenomenal. He picks the ball up in that little pocket, where the right-back sets it back to him, and he plays that first-time ball into that corridor of uncertainty between the centre-halves and the goalkeeper.
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‘It’s just so inviting for the likes of Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling. It’s so hard in the modern game to be able to play the passes he does.
‘His pass appreciation, his weight of pass, is as good as anybody I have seen. Watching De Bruyne from a central area, where he just slides the ball in, you sometimes just think: ‘How has he seen that?’ He sees things in the blink of an eye, and I think that’s what sets him apart.’
Despite Liverpool’s standout performances putting them 25 points above City in the Premier League table, Redknapp admitted De Bruyne deserves the Player of the Season award above anyone from Jurgen Klopp’s side.
He added: ‘There have been some outstanding performances this season. But Kevin De Bruyne has been absolutely outstanding.
‘His statistics this year have been his best ever, and if the rest of the City side had been as consistent as him, they’d probably be in contention with Liverpool.
‘For me, De Bruyne’s assists and goals really make him stand out for me. His numbers are just far and away better than anyone else’s.
‘If it does go to somebody outside of the Liverpool team, he is the only person you can really mention, because he has been that good, and has shone like a star in that City side at the moment.’
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