Chelsea Transfer News: Assessing Latest Kevin De Bruyne Return Rumours

Kevin De Bruyne is reportedly open to the idea of moving back to Chelsea should Wolfsburg fail to make the UEFA Champions League, according to the latest transfer rumours.

ESPN FC's Richard Jolly reports sources are indicating as much:

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De Bruyne's representatives have said that the former Werder Bremen player will not be at Wolfsburg forever in the unlikely event of them failing to finish in the top four in the Bundesliga or win the Europa League, their two possible routes into the Champions League, he would be likelier to leave the club in the summer.

Wolfsburg are currently second in the Bundesliga and will face Napoli in the last eight of the Europa League but if they fail on both fronts, De Bruyne will probably leave the Volkswagen Arena.

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The report follows on the heels of Eden Hazard's admission he believes his Belgium team-mate would have been a great player for the Blues should Jose Mourinho have been more patient, via beIN SPORTS USA:

The New York Times' Cristian Nyari highlighted one quote in particular from the winger's interview with L'Equipe:

Plenty of fans have wondered what it would be like if De Bruyne had never left Stamford Bridge in the past few months. The midfielder's stint with Chelsea wasn't a particularly successful one, and when Wolfsburg were willing to pay £18 million for his services, per Jolly, the decision to sell was both logical and easy.

But De Bruyne's development since moving to Die Wolfe has been nothing short of amazing. He's already scored 14 goals and assisted 21 this season, via WhoScored.com, and he ranks among Europe's top players in the latter category, per Squawka Football:

Meanwhile, Oscar has endured a difficult season with Chelsea, lacking the kind of consistency De Bruyne displays in the Bundesliga. The Brazil international is a gifted player, but his production comes nowhere near De Bruyne's.

Some pundits, like Bleacher Report's Garry Hayes, believe De Bruyne already proved he's not good enough to play for the Blues during his first stint at Stamford Bridge, but at the time, he was a 22-year-old getting his first taste of Premier League football.

You can't fault a youngster struggling in those circumstances, and Mourinho didn't exactly express much belief in him, either. Per WhoScored, De Bruyne made just two Premier League starts—most would be unwilling to write off a developing player after such a short time.

No, Wolfsburg's offer was too good to pass up at the time, and Mourinho was absolutely right to sell. But could the Portuguese manager now entertain the idea of bringing him back, similar to Nemanja Matic? It seems other top clubs are eager as well, via Nooruddean:

Before we get carried away, it's important to note a summer move is highly unlikely. De Bruyne just moved to Wolfsburg last year—the chances of him leaving the Volkswagen Arena so soon are astronomically small.

Die Wolfe have been in sensational form this season, and will more than likely qualify for the Champions League. They have a young, gifted squad capable of pushing for the Bundesliga title next year, and De Bruyne is their most pivotal player. The club won't sell, barring a gigantic offer, and De Bruyne won't be inclined to leave, either.

The Belgian spent his last months in west London wasting away on the bench, and he must be enjoying this extended run of playing time. The idea he would now return and risk losing his spot once again is difficult to fathom at this point. As he told Sport Bild (h/t Stephan Uersfeld of ESPN FC): "Chelsea were not good for me."

The Bundesliga is no longer a "selling league," as we've seen in the past few years. Top stars like Marco Reus, Mats Hummels and others are constantly linked to the Premier League, but in reality, the biggest Bundesliga stars haven't left the league recently. Think of Mario Gotze or Robert Lewandowski, who both moved to Bayern Munich.

Perhaps Chelsea would entertain the thought of bringing De Bruyne back, but the finances involved coupled with past experiences between both parties would likely see the Blues drop out of the race before long. And from De Bruyne's perspective, a move back to west London should be the last thing on his mind.

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