EXCLUSIVE: Manchester City line up £20m swoop for Chelsea reject Kevin De Bruyne
MANCHESTER CITY want to sign £20 million rated Chelsea reject Kevin De Bruyne.
Published: 22:30, Sat, December 20, 2014
By John Richardson
Manuel Pellegrini has target the Belgian as a must-have January signing
City boss Manuel Pellegrini has targeted the Belgian international (above) who only moved to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg in January, as a must have addition to a squad currently hit by injuries and financial fair play restrictions.
He believes that the 23-year-old attacking midfielder who was part of his country’s World Cup finals squad would be a useful addition to a side looking to retain their Premier League title.
De Bruyne joined Chelsea from Genk in January 2012 for £7 million and was heralded as a player destined for greatness at Stamford Bridge.
But the opportunities never came and after just three appearances he was shipped out on loan to Werder Bremen for a season before joining Wolfsburg for £18 million on a permanent deal just under 12 months ago, giving Chelsea a healthy profit.
But City scouts have been impressed by his displays in the Bundesliga and believe at the second time of asking he can become a big hit in the Premier League under Pellegrini.
Wolfsburg will want at least £20 million for the player who has an eye for goals - especially important for City who have been rocked by injuries to their main three strikers, Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic.
City still have to be careful on the buying front after being fined £49 million for breaching financial fair play rules and being restricted during the summer transfer window to a net spend of the same amount.
But De Bruyne will be within the acceptable budget if City can negotiate a deal around the same figure that Wolfsburg paid for the Belgian
