Kevin De Bruyne was today set to undergo a medical at Chelsea ahead of his move from Genk, according to the Belgian club.
The 20-year-old midfielder was on the brink of joining the Blues in a reported £6.7million deal on a five-and-a-half-year contract that would see him loaned back to his current team for the rest of the season.
Asked if De Bruyne was at Chelsea today for a medical, a Genk spokesmen told Press Association Sport: "Yes, that is correct."
The spokesman also confirmed De Bruyne would see out the season with the Belgian champions before returning to Chelsea in the summer.
The winger would then have to convince manager Andre Villas-Boas to make him part of the Blues' first-team plans, which could be tricky.
Villas-Boas admitted on Friday that Chelsea's pursuit of De Bruyne - who would become their second January capture after Gary Cahill - had nothing to do with him.
Indeed, they were linked with the player before Villas-Boas took charge last summer.
The Portuguese, who insisted he had no problem with Chelsea's recruitment policy, said: "It's a target that's decided by the club, that I knew about for quite some time.
"He was under the scrutiny of the club for some time, we've been following this player.
"[Romelu] Lukaku the same, and Petr Cech was the same when we arrived in 2004.
"In the sense that it's the club policy for the future, it's the right thing (to buy him) and I'll do everything in my power for him to reach maximum potential.
"But it's down to the club in decision-making."
PA
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