Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze has identified Manchester City icon Kevin De Bruyne as the most challenging opponent he has faced during his time in the Premier League. The England international, who recently joined Arsenal after a successful spell at Selhurst Park, revealed his admiration for the Belgian playmaker during a candid podcast appearance.
The Ultimate Premier League Challenge
During an episode of GOAL's Beast Mode On podcast, Eze didn't hesitate when asked to name his toughest competitor. 'I'm going with [Kevin] De Bruyne,' Eze stated emphatically. The Palace academy graduate explained that what made De Bruyne particularly formidable was his exceptional football intelligence and ability to stay several steps ahead of everyone else on the pitch.
'Playing the way he played, doing the things he did for so long - yes, it wasn't easy,' Eze admitted. 'You can tell he's a high-level thinker.' The attacking midfielder, known for his own creative flair, expressed deep respect for De Bruyne's problem-solving abilities during matches, noting that the Belgian often had 'solutions to problems I hadn't even posed to him yet.'
Parallel Careers and Near Misses
The summer of 2024 nearly saw their paths cross in a different way, with Eze emerging as a potential transfer target for Manchester City. At that time, De Bruyne was entering the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium amid interest from the Saudi Pro League.
Eze had established himself as one of the Premier League's most effective attacking midfielders at Crystal Palace, catching the attention of several top clubs. However, Palace resisted all offers for their star player, particularly after selling Michael Olise to Bayern Munich earlier that window.
This decision proved significant when Eze remained in south London for the 2024-25 season and played a crucial role in Palace's FA Cup victory over Manchester City, before eventually completing his move to Arsenal the following summer.
De Bruyne's Italian Adventure Cut Short
Meanwhile, De Bruyne chose to see out his contract with Manchester City, ending a trophy-laden decade that saw him win six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and the Champions League. The 34-year-old departed as a City legend in the summer of 2025, joining Serie A champions Napoli on a free transfer.
The Belgian midfielder made an immediate impact in Italy, scoring four goals in his first eight appearances and quickly becoming instrumental to Napoli's attacking structure. However, his promising start was abruptly halted by a serious thigh injury sustained while scoring a penalty in Napoli's 3-1 victory over Inter last month.
Medical staff expect the injury to keep De Bruyne sidelined for the remainder of the year, dealing a significant blow to Napoli's title defence and providing an unfortunate interruption to what had been an impressive start to his Italian career.
Eze's revelation highlights the lasting impression De Bruyne has made on his Premier League peers, even as both players continue their careers in new environments - Eze at Arsenal and De Bruyne recovering from injury in Naples.
