Kevin de Bruyne has opened-up on his ill-fated spell at Chelsea, as the Manchester City ace insists the Blues 'don't understand' the plight of players in their loan system.
At 20-years-old, Chelsea signed the Belgian from boyhood club Genk for £6.7m - but immediately packed him off to Werder Bremen.
De Bruyne remained in the first-team squad for the 2013/14 season under Jose Mourinho, but quickly realised his ten goals and nine assists for the Bundesliga side the previous term had gone unnoticed - only making nine appearances for the West London side.
He left, and a breakout spell at Wolfsburg and five seasons at Man City later - de Bruyne is a double Premier League winner, one of the world's best and the Blues' 'one that got away.'
'Wolfsburg was different because I just wanted a new challenge and not be loaned out because that system is really tough for people,' he said on BT Sport's 'What I Wore' show.
'They don’t always understand – when you do a few loan spells and come back to the team you know people are still doubting, saying "he’s a young player, is he going to make it."
'In my mind I had played four years in Belgium, a year in Germany, had 160-180 games under my belt plus national team experience, so you’re not thinking like a young boy at 18 anymore who is just happy to get a game.
'I didn’t get a chance at Chelsea and I decided I needed a new team. Wolfsburg really wanted me.'
Lil_malone
2479
He quit Chelsea because he didn't want to drown in the chelSEA😂😂😂😉
LordVader
932
De Bruyne, Salah, Cuadrado, Lukaku, Bertrand... it's crazy to think what could've been possible at Chelsea!
Cun_Lexy01
474
It was just unfortunate that when KDB came to Chelsea there were world class players in his position who were hungry. The likes of Oscar , Mata even the now Chelsea Manager Frank Lampard . But I would say mourinho made the mistake after Lampard had left . He should have let Debruyne fight together with the likes of Oscar
rendondo
346
KDB had no space during his time at Chelsea truth be told. he hasn't archieved that much in world football to start the usual city noise. Staying and performing only in English competitions makes u only a local hero .Learn to face European competitions and start the voice and not this noise
frastel
169
Please it not only Chelsea that make that mistake. Mind you ur own Man City did the same thing to Sancho and Arsenal also did the same thing to Gnabry and now look at them. If Sancho had stayed at City, he would still b a bench warmer. De Bruyne was competing with Hazard, Mata and Oscar at that time and how do you expect to start. The players that my darling club sold and got me pissed off were Salah, Bertrand Traore and Robben
cupbknry
128
at the time De Bruyne demand to play it was difficult to get a chance that why chelsea was wanted to loan him because how can u bench Lampard the legend of the team so De Bruyne was demanded to play instead of Lampard it was difficult. so past is past think your life of man city as chelsea fans we have deleted your file because your not player of Chelsea no more we have a lot of young talented we are closed your chapter
IscoALCR
69
Everything will be fine as long as you keep on LOANING out your passes
Lipikrsty
35
it is happening at city 🌆, so accurate in passes plus ➕ shorts.