Werder Bremen sporting director Klaus Allofs has made it clear that Kevin de Bruyne is still happy with his decision to join the club on loan.
The 21-year old Belgian winger was signed by Chelsea from Genk in the summer and then immediately sent to Bremen on a season-long arrangement which some believe was the wrong move.
But Allofs insists that de Bruyne is happy in the German Bundesliga even though the Blues wanted him elsewhere in the Premier League.
"Kevin's identification with Werder Bremen is at 100 per cent," Allofs told Kreiszeitung Syke.
"He is still inexperienced in his game and in the things he says. I answer back the critics that say that he is a typical mercenary.
"He did not have to play here. Chelsea did not want to loan to Germany, they rather wanted him to stay in England. Kevin did it out of conviction. We talked to him pretty early - had very long talks.
"We persisted and explained to him what we had in mind. He was fascinated by our ideas. And he now told me again: 'I'm happy that I play for Werder Bremen'."
