Kevin de Bruyne has what it takes to inspire great players with his negotiation method.
When Kevin De Bruyne used deep analysis of his own data to highlight his value to Manchester City during negotiations over a new contract in 2021, the contract renewal process in football changed forever.
In some ways, this sparked a new trend in player power – at the elite level anyway – as it showed how the finer details around performance could be used persuasively to help lock down greater security and better pay for those at the top of their game.
According to The Athletic, De Bruyne’s case is unique because he also negotiated without a recognized agent and used two respected lawyers while using several leading football analytics service providers to provide context around its numbers. One of the shortlisted companies was Analytics FC, who provided De Bruyne with his “signature service”, which applies groundbreaking data analysis to solidify his value to the club.
With the winter transfer window opening and club representatives returning to the negotiating table, similar conversations are expected to take place this month, as some high-profile players move closer to a contract extension or a new start in 2024, like a certain Kylian Mbappé…
