Chelsea Recluse Urged to Choose La Liga over Bundesliga Move

Chelsea midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has been urged to join Atletico Madrid in the January transfer window in order to cement his place in Belgium's World Cup squad.

De Bruyne hasn't made a league start for the Blues since August after being banished from the first team by manager Jose Mourinho.

The Belgian risks being omitted from the Belgian squad for next summer's finals in Brazil according to boss Marc Wilmots, and fellow-countryman Toby Alderweireld wants to see De Bruyne join him in La Liga.

"It will be fantastic if he joins Atletico in January," Alderweireld told Het Laatste Nieuws. "Kevin is an excellent player. He knows how to play football.

"On the other hand, this team is already shaped and is doing well in the league. If he decides to leave Chelsea, he has to move to a team where he can play regularly, because the World Cup is coming."

Atletico are second in La Liga, three points behind leaders Barcelona after 14 games and have already booked their place in the knock-out phase of the Champions League.

De Bruyne has made cameo appearances for Chelsea in the Champions League and League Cup of late but has failed to make a sufficient impression to force his back in to the reckoning in the Premier League.

The 21 year old has been offered several exit routes in January, with Bayer Leverkusen, Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg all keen on ending his Chelsea nightmare.

Chelsea and Belgium team-mate Eden Hazard also admitted earlier this month that De Bruyne should seek a move away from Stamford Bridge in order to strengthen his World Cup bid.

"Playing at a World Cup without being in action for a year, I think that's very difficult," said Hazard.

"I think for him that leaving and playing would be good. If we want to get the best out of Kevin, it's best if he leaves."

After being an ever-present during the qualifying campaign, De Bruyne played less than an hour in the recent friendly against Columbia before missing out against Japan - a possible indication as to his future involvement should his club commitments continue to dwindle.