• Wolfsburg manager hints at player’s move to Manchester City • De Bruyne was below par in Wolfsburg’s 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

The Wolfsburg manager, Dieter Hecking, has dropped a hint that Kevin De Bruyne could be set to leave the Bundesliga side, admitting the next few days will be “difficult”.

Wolfsburg and Kevin De Bruyne may lament any move to Manchester City | Andy Brassell Read more

City are reportedly lining up a £45m bid for De Bruyne, which would be a Bundesliga record transfer. Before the weekend Hecking said he was growing tired of all the speculation linking the Belgium international with a move to City, adding his conviction that last season’s Bundesliga player of the year would be staying.

Hecking’s position changed on Monday when he paid tribute to De Bruyne as the player received an award as Lower Saxony’s footballer of the year in a ceremony in Barsinghausen.

“These are going to be difficult days for all involved,” Hecking said. “And even if our days together should not continue, I would already now like to wish him all the best.”

De Bruyne picked up his award, promising to “give my best for Wolfsburg”, although it is now unclear whether he will get another opportunity to do so.

Their next game is against Cologne on Saturday and his performance in the 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday suggested transfer talk was distracting him.

“It certainly wasn’t one of his best games,” admitted Hecking, who substituted the former Chelsea player with 15 minutes remaining.