Thorgan Hazard did not think he would break through at Chelsea and be given a chance in the Premier League, even when he first joined the club.
Hazard, 23, was signed from Lens in 2012 but left to join Borussia Monchengladbach three years later without making a first-team appearance.
Since moving to the Bundesliga, Hazard has become a regular for club and country, an opportunity he doesn't believe he would have got at Chelsea.
"I knew I would not stay at Chelsea when I signed for them," Hazard told Het Nieuwsblad. "It was a great opportunity to join such a big club, but I knew I needed regular playing time to show what I could do.
"Chelsea like to buy young players and then slowly get them ready. All the young players like Kevin De Bruyne, Charly Musonda and Romelu Lukaku were shipped out on loan. You need regular playing time at that age.
"Maybe Chelsea now regret their decision not to give De Bruyne and Lukaku more chances, I don't know."
Hazard does not think he was only signed for Chelsea in order to smooth the way for his older brother Eden, who joined at a similar time.
"Of course, it helped that Chelsea also signed Eden, but it is not like they just sign every player's brother," he added. "[Frank] Lampard and [John] Terry's brothers never played for Chelsea.
"They signed me because I showed potential. They had to pay Lens a transfer fee to get me. And they were right. I might not be following the same path as Eden, but I am improving step by step."
