Reports in German indicate that Wolfsburg playmaker Kevin de Bruyne will be heading to England later this week for a medical, with the midfielder linked to both Manchester United and Man City.
According to Bild [via L’Equipe], the Citizens have beaten off interest from their city rivals to sign the attacker, who will join for an initial fee of €74m plus a potential bonus of €6m.
The French source report that negotiations are at an advanced stage, and that the Belgian is likely to be confirmed as a City player before the transfer window closes on September 1.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side have been linked to the international for large swathes of the summer as they seek to bolster their offensive options ahead of a season where they intend to reclaim the Premier League title that they lost to Chelsea last term.
Raheem Sterling has already arrived from Liverpool, and it’s tantalising to imagine how De Bruyne—who contributed 20 assists in the Bundesliga last term—would complement the England international as well as the likes of Sergio Aguero and Wilfried Bony.
However, the Sky Blues are not alone in their admiration of De Bruyne.
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According to German reports [via the Independent] Louis van Gaal is also keen on the former Chelsea midfielder, and is considering an approach for the talented assist-king.
However, the latest information suggests that—as they did with Nicolas Otamendi [Mirror]—City are set to win the race for a much-coveted high-profile star.