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Wolfsburg, City deal close

Berlin - Wolfsburg have confirmed German media reports they are close to agreeing a transfer fee with Manchester City for Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne.

German daily Bild and football magazine Kicker, plus local newspaper Wolfsburger Allgemeine Zeitung, all claim Premier League City are set to pay a new Bundesliga record of €74 million for De Bruyne.

Wolfsburg's director of sport Klaus Allofs has admitted De Bruyne, 24, whose current contract runs until 2019, wants to leave despite their best efforts to convince him to stay.

No agreement has yet been reached with City, but De Bruyne is reported to have been left out of their squad to face Schalke 04 in the league on Friday.

"The negotiations have been going on since noon today, we have come closer together, maybe there will be a decision in the next few hours or by Friday at the latest," said director of sport Klaus Allofs at Thursday's Champions League draw in Monaco.

The Wolfsburg boss says it has been clear for the last "two or three days" that the player wants to leave.

The huge transfer fee quoted, which could rise to €80 million euros with bonuses, would smash the previous Bundesliga record when Liverpool paid Hoffenheim €41 million euros for Brazil striker Roberto Firmino in July.

City have been chasing Belgium international attacking midfielder De Bruyne's signature for weeks.

Germany's footballer of the year for 2014/15 played a key role in helping Wolfsburg win the German Cup last season as they finished second only to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga as he scored 16 goals and provided 29 assists across all competitions.

De Bruyne cost Wolfsburg 25 million euros when he joined from Chelsea in January 2014 after a year on loan at fellow German league side Werder Bremen in the 2012/13 season.

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