For most players in Kevin de Bruyne’s position, a move to a European juggernaut would be a natural step in his progression as a blossoming footballer.

The Belgian international has been magnificent for Wolfsburg this season, racking up a frankly phenomenal 14 goals and 21 assists for the Bundesliga outfit in all competitions. For any midfielder posting those numbers at a club like Die Wolfe—who are a tier below the continent’s select elite—interest from the very top sides is inevitable.

As early as January De Bruyne was being linked with a move to the likes of Manchester United, while this week in the German media Bayern Munich have been sounded out as potential suitors for the Belgian maestro.

But while a transfer of this ilk is standard for young players of this immaculate calibre, De Bruyne is a player whose career hasn’t followed an orthodox pattern. As such, he should refrain from jumping ship away from the Volkswagen Arena this summer, regardless of the clubs that may come calling.

Indeed, the 23-year-old had a tough time at Chelsea as a youngster—who have also been linked with potentially re-signing the player—and despite shining on loan at Werder Bremen during the 2012/13 season on loan, it became clear that first-team chances weren’t going to flow freely for the player.

Jose Mourinho claimed that the young Belgian’s efforts in training were not good enough, per ESPN FC, while De Bruyne suggested the legendary Portuguese boss had created the “wrong image” of him, per Jason Burt of The Telegraph. There was undeniable friction there that needed to abate.

Subsequently, De Bruyne seized control of his own future and instead of lingering around Stamford Bridge, joined Dieter Hecking’s Wolfsburg team. His polished playmaking skills helped the Bundesliga side to a prosperous end to the 2013/14 campaign and after a full pre-season with the club ahead of the season ongoing, De Bruyne has been able to scale remarkable heights.

Subsequently, this is a young man that should be well acquainted with the immense value of first team football. Aside from his current run of exceptional form the best form of De Bruyne’s relatively short career came when he was on loan at Werder, where he made 33 appearances and scored 10 goals, per soccerbase.com.

Playing a central role—in both a literal and metaphorical sense—also seems to bring the best out of this excellent player. Some stars of comparably tender years would have wilted in the wake of a big-money move to an ambitious, up-and-coming side, but De Bruyne has seamlessly slotted into the core of Hecking’s team from day one.

Wolfsburg are an ambitious club too; the capture of Andre Schurrle in January was a major testament to that. They’re poised to be worthy runners-up in the Bundesliga and reports suggest they will spend big once again in the summer by signing more of Europe’s brightest youngsters, per Adrian Kajumba of the Mirror.

It’s a team that will be crafted around the enchanting De Bruyne moving forward, provided he remains with the club, of course.

It’s certainly not unfeasible that he may move either. The bright lights of the Allianz Arena do command a certain gravitas for young Bundesliga stars—just ask Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski—while the prospect of another crack at the Premier League would also surely appeal to the player after being denied the chance to appropriately prove himself on English soil.

But with Bayern, Chelsea or United, would De Bruyne be the critical cog in the machine? Would he be at the centre of the side’s progression? Would he—especially in the case of the first two—be even guaranteed a spot in the starting XI?

The answer to the aforementioned queries is “probably not” and while at this point it’s merely conjecture, interest in the player is inevitable given just how well he is currently performing.

The fact he wouldn’t walk into any of those sides supposedly interested in him is indicative of a player who still has refinements to make to his game. But for the time being, he’s better moulding his skills at Wolfsburg rather than in the wake of a big-money move which would prompt focus to be relentlessly trained upon him.

He won’t stay at Wolfsburg for life, as his agent Patrick De Koster revealed recently per the Guardian, for De Bruyne has the talent to haul his way up to the uppermost heights in the game. But for a player who has endured a flurry of instability in the early days of his career and is now thriving as of late on consistent foundations, when it comes to making a decision on where his short-term future lies, the choice seems an obvious one.

Follow Matt on Twitter @MattJFootball