Kevin De Bruyne’s agent has denied reports that the Belgium midfielder left Chelsea because of a “bad attitude”.
De Bruyne is being tracked by Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich after enjoying a brilliant season with Wolfsburg that saw them win the German cup last weekend. He was voted as the Bundesliga’s player of the season by the German newspaper Kicker having amassed 25 assists and 15 goals and is now believed to be valued at around £50m by Wolfsburg.
The 23-year-old moved to the Bundesliga in January 2014 for £18m having made only three Premier League appearances and De Bruyne, who joined Chelsea from Racing Genk for £6.7m in 2012, admitted over the weekend that he was never given explanation for why his game-time at Stamford Bridge was so limited.
“I still don’t understand why José Mourinho let me leave. I never discussed it with him. I started to play and then it was finished,” he said. “After four months, I asked him to leave. I didn’t want to stay at a club where I wasn’t even playing for 10 minutes. He said it was my attitude in training? It is an excuse he can use.
“But no one can say that as they haven’t seen me train. I don’t think that in Belgium or in the Bundesliga they have complained about this. That is the way it is. I am not angry. When I was transferred to Wolfsburg, Chelsea got their money. Everyone was happy.”
A report on Monday stated that Chelsea had no regrets over selling De Bruyne, with the player only asking for a move after being told he would have to fight for a place in the first team. “I’m surprised to hear that – of all the players I have worked with, Kevin always takes a very professional approach,” De Bruyne’s agent, Patrick De Koster, told the Guardian. “We were never offered an official reason why Kevin wasn’t given much of a chance. I don’t know who it is saying that he had an attitude problem – no one has ever said that to me.
“Each coach must make his decision and you just have to accept that. Chelsea had a good season and won the league, while Kevin went to Germany and won the cup.”
De Bruyne did not feature in Belgium’s 4-3 win over France on Sunday but is expected to return to the side for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Wales on Friday. Having already revealed interest from City, Bayern and PSG, De Koster will hold talks with Wolfsburg this week, when it is expected the playmaker will be offered a lucrative new contract.
“I will have informal talks with Wolfsburg this week so we will have to wait and see,” said De Koster. “He has the most assists in the whole of Europe this season so that is something to be very proud of.”
