Thursday, 21st November, 2013
La Liga giants Atletico Madrid have joined the hunt for out-of-favour Chelsea midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and feel they have a strong hand with the Belgian's international team-mates Thibaut Courtois and Toby Alderweireld already at the Vicente Calderon.
De Bruyne has slipped out of the first team picture at Chelsea and there has been concern in his homeland about his lack of regular football in a World Cup year.
Belgium coach Marc Wilmots has advised him to go elsewhere, with a Schalke suggestion thrown in, while even Chelsea team-mate Eden Hazard believes his countryman should quit Stamford Bridge.
There is much interest in De Bruyne from Germany, where Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg, Schalke and Werder Bremen are all very much open to signing the former Genk man.
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And according to Belgian daily Het Laatste Nieuws, Atletico Madrid are now firmly in that race too.
Atletico Madrid's powerbrokers are poised to do everything in their power to sign De Bruyne, although it is unclear whether they will aim to loan the Belgian or buy him outright.
The Spanish side enjoy a good relationship with Chelsea, having loaned goalkeeper Courtois from the Blues, while Alderweireld is an international team-mate of De Bruyne. Atletico Madrid hope familiar faces will tempt the midfielder to Spain.
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