Ferdinand also believes that De Bruyne is among the best in Premier League’s history after the Belgium international recently equalled Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard’s Premier League assists total when Pep Guardiola’s side won 3-0 at Wolves last weekend, setting up his 91st and 92nd goals in the competition.

De Bruyne remarkably matched the record in 287 games fewer than Gerrard did for Liverpool.

The midfielder still has some way to go to match the Premier League record of 162 by Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs, with the likes of David Silva, Dennis Bergkamp, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, and Cesc Fabregas next in his sights.

But Ferdinand believes De Bruyne is a match for Premier League legends Gerrard, Lampard, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, and Patrick Vieira when it comes to judging the league’s best-ever midfielder.

“He has just equalled Gerrard in terms of assists in the Premier League, but in far less games,” Ferdinand said on his FIVE YouTube show.

“He still has some way to go to equal Cesc, Giggs, Lampard.

“Say if Frank, Stevie, Scholesy, Vieira, Keane were playing against Kevin De Bruyne now, it would be interesting.

“The game is different. Would De Bruyne be able to play in a two-man midfield against a Vieira or Scholes? Would he be as effective?

“I think De Bruyne would. His capacity to run, his dynamism, his ability on the ball. Only [David] Beckham passes the ball better on the run, crossing-wise.”

De Bruyne has already created eight goals for Man City so far this season – six in the Premier League and two in the Champions League.

The 31-year-old is now on international duty with Belgium as they prepare to take on Wales and the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League later this month.