Share

Wolfsburg boss annoyed by De Bruyne exit talk

Berlin - Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking says he is irritated by constant media speculation on whether Kevin de Bruyne will sign for Manchester City, with the English giants poised to swoop for the star midfielder.

"It's annoying, because the questions are always the same and we can't give a different answer," said Hecking, who steered Wolfsburg to the German Cup last season and this year's Super Cup after beating Bayern Munich on penalties two weeks ago.

"I have no desire to answer these questions anymore. This club has made it's position clear."

De Bruyne was named Germany's player of the season in 2014/15 and has been outstanding for Wolfsburg - who finished second behind Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga last season - scoring 20 goals and contributing 38 assists in all competitions since signing from Chelsea in January 2014.

Wolfsburg start their season on Sunday at home to Eintracht Frankfurt with the hosts being swarmed by UK media reports stating that City have made an offer worth €66 million for the Belgium midfielder.

"We can't give a reaction to every story from the Guardian or the Daily Mirror or whatever paper there is in Manchester," said the 50-year-old Hecking, who recently extended his Wolfsburg contract until 2018.

"I don't really care for that and as the head coach here, I can't give a report every day on the state of things."

Hecking said De Bruyne is unaffected by the speculation.

"He hasn't given much thought to a change of club," insisted Hecking.

"I see a Kevin de Bruyne on the training pitch who is focused on the start of the new season and he certainly wants to play well on Sunday."

Hecking also insists the speculation will have no impact on the Wolves when they kick off against Frankfurt.

"It's not like there is a dark cloud over the team, the squad have registered that there is a player who is being watched by the top teams," said Hecking.

"He has developed here, but also because the team has worked hard around him."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
32% - 1843 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1810 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1100 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 470 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 193 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 261 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE