The Citizens lost their English top-flight title last season, having been way below the level of eventual winners Chelsea, and there were areas in the team that required strengthening in order to mount a serious challenge this time round. It was vital the transfer dealings of the club worked in this campaign and, with four victories from as many matches and no goals conceded, the summer arrivals have been a big hit.
England international Raheem Sterling was bought from Liverpool for £49million and the winger has made a big impact at his new club, grabbing a goal in the 2-0 success over Watford. Fellow compatriot Fabian Delph has also added more competition for places in the midfield having made the switch from Aston Villa, while Nicolas Otamendi will keep the centre-backs on their toes after arriving from Valencia.
Add to that the fact that the likes of Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany look like they are back to their best and all seems rosy at the Etihad Stadium, but the addition of De Bruyne could upset the current rhythm of the team. There is no denying the Belgium international has considerable talent and he would add huge amounts of quality to the City squad but there is a question mark as to where he will feature in the starting 11.
The 24-year-old thrived for Wolfsburg in the number 10 role, sitting just behind the striker, and he was top of the assist charts in the Bundesliga last season, while 10 goals were also bagged in the German top-flight. However, that position is currently held by David Silva in the City team and the Spaniard is the heart and soul for the Citizens, making everyone else on the field of play tick in matches. It seems impossible to drop the midfielder out of the starting line-up, so there is already a question mark to how much playing time De Bruyne will have at the Etihad.
But, if you sign a player for close to £60million you need to give them regular football and this could force head coach Manuel Pellegrini to upset the apple cart by dropping players that are currently starting. Leaving Silva out seems almost impossible, but moving De Bruyne out to the wing in place of Jesus Navas seems the most likely option. Yes, the Belgian does have more quality than the Spain international but this could restrict the width and balance the City team are showing right now. Navas hugs the touchline and is a constant outlet on the right side for the Citizens but De Bruyne may drift infield too much, therefore making things very compact on the pitch and possibly hampering the flow of the team.
The signing of De Bruyne does raise the question of 'Do City even need the midfielder' and, looking at the current squad, it appears the Belgium is not required, but for a long-term approach you could say yes - and this may be the thinking of Pellegrini.
Toure is no spring chicken at 32 and Silva is almost touching 30, so there will be the need for fresh players brought in to fill the void. De Bruyne would be a great replacement for the Spaniard, having played the role brilliantly for Wolfsburg, and as long as the Belgian can be patient and watch wait for his chance, he could turn out to be a great signing for the club for future seasons.