Kevin De Bruyne is on the verge of agreeing a lucrative new six-year contract with Manchester City that will end Real Madrid and Barcelona’s hopes of prising the outstanding Belgium midfielder away from the Premier League leaders.

City’s move to tie down De Bruyne is the latest step in the club’s concerted drive to secure the long-term futures of key members of Pep Guardiola’s squad, with Gabriel Jesus, Fernandinho, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and Ederson all in line for new deals by or before next summer.

De Bruyne, 26, has firmly established himself as one of the world’s best midfielders and been a driving force behind City opening up an 11-point lead at the top of the Premier League, and talks over a new contract are now at an advanced stage in what promises to be a welcome Christmas present for Guardiola.

The impending new deal is likely to see De Bruyne’s basic salary catapult from £120,000 a week to at least £200,000 a week although once a remodelled image rights and heavily incentivised performance related bonus package are factored in the player could be earning as much as £16 million annually with incremental rises to follow.