Manchester City star Kevin de Bruyne is set to leave Manchester City in the summer, Aston Villa had been hopeful of convincing the Belgian to make the move, however, they now face additional competition from a Premier League rival.
Aston Villa reportedly held talks internally about the possibility of making a move to sign De Bruyne, with the midfielder stating that he is open to any possibility, including remaining in the Premier League.
Chelsea Join Race for Kevin De Bruyne
Aston Villa have been joined by former club Chelsea in the pursuit. The 33-year-old left the Blues in 2014 after failing to break through to the first team on a regular basis. He left to join Wolfsburg before linking up with the Citizens in 2015.
| Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Manchester City | 417 | 107 | 177 |
| Wolfsburg | 73 | 20 | 37 |
| Chelsea | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| Genk | 113 | 17 | 36 |
| Werder Bremen | 34 | 10 | 10 |
Stats taken from transfermarkt
The possibility of De Bruyne remaining in the Premier League and joining a side that has ambitions of competing for a European spot in Chelsea according to Football Insider and Aston Villa will be a surprise to some, who expected him to move abroad to the MLS or similar.
The fact that Manchester City have opted not to offer him a contract, but he still retains interest from the top clubs in the Premier League perhaps shows that his ability has not diminished as much as some had though, despite his game time significantly reducing.
Chelsea’s Big Season Ahead
Chelsea on the whole have had a disappointing season, and sit 6th in the table. Although there is a possibility of a Champions League spot, they have been inconsistent and many of their star players such as Cole Palmer have struggled through periods. There will need to be a rethink in the summer if they are to challenge the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal, especially with Manchester City and Aston Villa expected to continue to improve.