There can't be many people who would disagree that Kevin De Bruyne is one of the best footballers on the planet.
The Manchester City star has ripped up the Premier League ever since he moved to the Etihad back in 2015, helping the club seal four league titles in that period. But not everyone was convinced when City decided to splash out £55million for the former Chelsea youngster.
The Belgian made just a handful of appearances at Stamford Bridge before being sold after two years to German side Wolfsburg. Eyebrows were raised when he returned to England for a huge fee, with Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson more vocal than most.
Read more: Paul Merson admits Harry Maguire 'regret' and phone call
At the time, Merson infamously said it was "an absolute joke" - a comment that he has retrospectively been panned for. Now, the Sky Sports pundit admits he got it wrong.
“People still come up to me when I’ve already said 50 times how great Kevin De Bruyne is," Merson told The Telegraph.
"I only said what I saw. I'm a Chelsea fan. I also saw Mo Salah at Chelsea. They didn't cut it. They come back and are two of the best players in the world. It's the right place at the right time.”
It is not the first apology Merson has been forced to issue in recent weeks. He has revealed how he rang Manchester United defender Harry Maguire after criticising him, claiming he had gone "too far" with his comments.
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