Wilmots keen for De Bruyne to leave Blues

Belgium coach Marc Wilmots has urged Kevin de Bruyne to seek regular first team football away from Stamford Bridge, Sky Sports understands.

The midfielder has barely featured for the Blues since signing almost two years ago, spending the second half of the 2011/12 campaign back on loan with Genk, before joining Werder Bremen for the entirety of last season.

Since returning to Stamford Bridge in the summer, he has made just three league appearances under Jose Mourinho, and his international coach believes that a move would be hugely beneficial to him.

Schalke are reportedly interested in signing the 22 year old, who is in line to win his eighteenth cap for Belgium against Colombia tomorrow evening.

Meanwhile, Demba Ba is considering a move to Turkey as he seeks more game time, according to the Express.

The Senegal international has made only a handful of appearances for the Blues since Mourinho’s return to the club, and has scored just twice in the league since signing from Newcastle United.

Finally, former Blues defender Dan Petrescu is the latest name to be linked with the vacant manager’s post at Crystal Palace.

Petrescu made over 200 appearances in a five year stint with the club towards the end of the last Millennium, and won the FA Cup, UEFA Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Super Cup.