January transfer windows are typically non-events for the modern Manchester City.
Aymeric Laporte has been the only significant mid-season signing of the Pep Guardiola era, while the prolonged too-ing and fro-ing over eventual Manchester United flop Alexis Sanchez in that same 2018 window was the last time the Blues were involved in anything resembling a saga.
There was a touch more winter movement before Guardiola arrived five-and-a-half years ago and in January 2014 — a whole 12 months before the club secured the coup of Wilfried Bony’s services — came one of the most significant transfers in City history.
Only, the Blues were not involved at all in a deal that went through eight years ago today and effectively changed the course of English football.
"Chelsea thanks Kevin for his service and wishes him well at his new club," read the sort of dispassionate statement Premier League clubs reserve for such occasions.
Chelsea had sold another of their seemingly endless supply of overseas signings for a tidy profit. Kevin De Bruyne joining Wolfsburg for £16.7million was almost universally acknowledged as a tidy piece of business.
By the same token, even after his spectacular performances in the 2014/15 season secured the Bundesliga Player of the Year award, City making De Bruyne their record signing 18 months later brought widespread guffaws.
“The £60M REJECT,” harrumphed one red-top.
As De Bruyne drew back his rapier right boot on Saturday to sumptuously dispatch a 70th-minute winner against Chelsea, the last laugh had long been had.
It was the Belgium international’s fifth goal against his former employers — his joint-most against a single opponent in his career alongside Arsenal — and the only goal of the game, just like when he struck decisively at Stamford Bridge in September 2017.
That remains one of the statement wins of the Guardiola era. City were dominant despite the slender advantage on the scoreboard as they downed Antonio Conte’s reigning champions. The west Londoners have not lifted the top-flight crown since, while City have racked up three of the past four and are poised to add to their tally.
The 2016/17 title success under Conte was Chelsea’s second in three seasons. When Jose Mourinho masterminded the 2014/15 triumph, De Bruyne was a spottily remembered feature of the recent past
But Chelsea’s ever-changing cast of coaches became an ill-suited model when City finally got their man in Guardiola and went about building a dynasty to his specifications. De Bruyne was there a year before his boss, but was always earmarked as a key pillar.
The past few years really could have turned out very differently. As we know now, De Bruyne was hurtling towards his irresistible prime when he joined Wolfsburg and an alliance with countryman Eden Hazard at Stamford Bridge would have been a terrifying prospect.
Chelsea packed off Mohamed Salah to Fiorentina on loan in January 2015, but the Egypt superstar took a more circuitous route back to the Premier League via Roma. De Bruyne was back to instantly become a talisman for a direct rival a year-and-a-half after his own exit.
Monday’s inclusion in the FIFPRO World XI was the two-time reigning PFA Players’ Player of the Year’s latest honour in a period where he has won nine major trophies with City.
And 10 days ago, he even conquered one of the few remaining frontiers in his career; De Bruyne played very well in a win at Swindon Town.
"With Kevin, it's the same. He's not selected because I didn't like the match he played against Swindon and I didn't like the way he was training,” Mourinho said after dropping De Bruyne on the back of his showing in a 2-0 League Cup win at the County Ground in September 2013.
It was one of five starts and nine appearances overall before Mourinho sanctioned the playmaker’s departure, inadvertently setting him on the path to becoming one of Manchester City’s greatest ever players.
Guardiola and City fans haven’t often had cause to indulge in this sentiment, but on the eighth anniversary of a seismic transfer, there’s something that needs to be said.
Thank you, Jose, Thank you so, so much.
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