Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has revealed he sold Belgian star Kevin de Bruyne because the youngster could not handle the competition for first-team places at the club.
De Bruyne was sold to Wolfsburg in 2013 after making just three Premier League appearances for the Blues but has since starred in the Bundesliga for his new side.
The 24-year-old is now understood to be on Manchester City’s radar, with The Mirror on Thursday reporting the cashed-up Premier League side were prepared to splash £60m on the former Genk man.
Mourinho explained that De Bruyne’s “mentality” meant he could not handle the competition for spots at the Premier League giants.
“I am happy for him, because he is a good kid. I wanted to keep him. But he couldn’t handle fighting for his place in such a competitive squad,” Mourinho is quoted as saying by Goal.com.
“He told me it was not in his personality to be competing for a position in the team. He needed a team where he knows he can play every game.
“I told him, ‘This is Chelsea. You are very young, you have Eden Hazard, you have Mata, you have Willian, you have Schurrle, and I cannot promise you that’. He told me he was not happy. He was not training very well, I was asking for more and he was saying, ‘I can’t give you more. This is just my way’.”
De Bruyne created a Bundesliga record-equalling 20 assists last season for Wolfsburg and scored 13 goals as he helped his side qualify for the Champions League.
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