According to reports from Mirror Football yesterday evening, Manchester City are ‘closing in’ on a £35million deal for Wolfsburg star Kevin De Bruyne.
The Belgium international failed to make the first team grade during his two years at Chelsea, instead finding himself loaned out to Genk and Werder Bremen.
But he’s proved an absolute revelation since signing for Wolfsburg in an £18million deal during the January 2014 transfer window. This season, the 23 year-old boasts the most league assists, an incredible 19, of any player throughout Europe’s five leading top flights – even surpassing Ballon d’Or duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Arsenal and Manchester United are keen to bring him back to the Premier League this summer according to recent reports from The Daily Star, but Mirror Football claim Manchester City are currently in pole position for his signature – whilst also mooting PSG and Bayern Munich as rival suitors.
They’re preparing a £35million bid for the attacking midfielder, whose agent revealed on Monday that he’s already received ‘informal contact’ from the Etihad outfit – as reported by This Is Futbol.
“I have a meeting with Klaus Allofs [Wolfsburg’s sporting director] next week to find out what they want to do,” said De Bruyne’s agent, Patrick De Koster. “I will know if they want to offer a Kevin a new deal or allow him to move.
“Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have made informal contact with me, but there have been no official offers.
“The situation has now changed with Wolfsburg qualifying for the Champions League next season, so wherever he plays next season it will be in the Champions League,” he added.
“If Wolfsburg decide to sell Kevin, then he will have a choice of clubs who can win their domestic league and challenge for the Champions League as well. The choice is his.”
Whether Arsenal or Manchester United will attempt to match City’s bid for the Bundesliga star remains to be seen.
I’m not entirely sure what to make of KdB. I don’t think he’s really cut out for the Premier League. He strikes me as one of those players who needs a team built around him; as a simple cog in the machine he was never particularly convincing at Chelsea. I remember one particularly diabolical performance against Sunderland. Certainly (as a Chelsea fan) I wasn’t especially bothered when he left.
I think he should stay at Wolfsburg, I think they are about right for him. They’re building quite an impressive team there; a couple more signings (maybe a solid DM) and they could push an ageing Bayern side next year.