Kevin de Bruyne is hoping he can reignite Chelsea’s interest in him when he lines up for Genk in their Champions League tie the Daily Mail reports.
The 20-year-old was a target for Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas in the summer but a failed to materialise after the Belgian club rejected Chelsea’s £6 million offer.
He is now hoping his performance will cause the Stamford Bridge club to rekindle their interest and allow him to play regularly in front of his mother, who was born in Ealing, west London, and his grandfather who will both be in attendance to watch him play on Wednesday.
The Belgium international said: “It was a good deal (with Chelsea), in which I would stay at Genk one more year on loan, and I was disappointed when the offer was refused.
“For my mother, this is going to be a very symbolic match. She will be watching me play my first match in England on exactly the first anniversary of losing my grandmother and there is bound to be a lot of emotion.
“It will be special for all of us – for my mother, watching me just down the road from where she grew up, and for me, playing in front of my English family.” He added.
“There are a dozen family members, some will come especially from Paris, and 10 friends. Apart from my grandfather, none of them has seen me play live. The only sadness is that my grandmother won’t be there to share this great moment.”
It’s no secret that Villas-Boas is actively seeking young, exciting talent and de Bruyne, who could be the long-term replacement for Florent Malouda, certainly fits the mould.
A quality display in their European meeting could persuade the Portuguese boss to consider a move for his services when the transfer window opens in January.