Chelsea Midfielder Talks Confirmed As Reports Suggest Arsenal Target-Swap Deal

Kevin De Bruyne's agent is set to fly into London for talks with Chelsea regarding his client's future as reports suggesting a trade involving Schalke playmaker and Arsenal target Julian Draxler emerge in the German press.

Following a successful loan spell in the Bundesliga last season, De Bruyne has struggled to force his way into the Blues first team, having been exiled to the club's Under-21 squad earlier in the campaign due to a perceived lack of effort in training.

The 22-year-old has since returned to the first team, but has failed to feature in the Premier League since late September, with his handful of appearances coming in the Champions League or the Capital One Cup.

His peripheral role in Jose Mourinho's team has led to a number of teams to ponder a January swoop for the midfielder, with Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Wolfsburg keen to add him to their ranks.

Those clubs are likely to learn of their chances of getting the Belgian in due course, with De Bruyne's agent Patrick de Koster telling German magazine Kicker: "In two weeks we have an appointment in London and we will learn more."

News of a possible resolution to De Bruyne's position at Chelsea coincides with growing reports of Draxler's discontent at Schalke. Earlier this week the 20-year-old voiced his frustration over being played out of position, having featured in wide positions rather than his favoured number 10 role too frequently for his own liking.

Bild suggest that Chelsea and Schalke could possibly come to an agreement over the winter months that would see the two creative players swap clubs. With a release clause of €45m, it is likely the Premier League side would have to pay a considerable fee in addition to offering De Bruyne in order to bring Draxler to Stamford Bridge, but the Germany international's burgeoning reputation in the Bundesliga suggests that may be a price the Blues are willing to pay.

With the number of clubs interested in the club's coveted playmaker, Draxler's days at the Vetlins Arena may be numbered, despite signing a new six year contract in the summer. Interestingly, Schalke's general manager Horst Heldt recently acknowledged the number of clubs monitoring Draxler, a scenario he compared to that of De Bruyne's at Chelsea.

"Kevin De Bruyne is a class player who is interesting for many clubs," Heldt was quoted as saying in today's edition of Sport Bild, later adding: "The fact that a number of clubs in the Julian Draxler hunt is still the case."

Draxler has made no attempt to hide his desire to move onto another club in the past, claiming it is a dream of his to move onto one of European's elite clubs, namely Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.