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Manchester City target Kevin De Bruyne is unlikely to see out his contract at Wolfsburg until 2019, according to the German club's sporting director Klaus Allhofs.

The Belgian has dropped a big hint that he may be prepared to leave the Volkswagen Arena after refusing to commit his future to last season's Bundesliga runners-up.

And now Allhofs has conceded Wolfsburg are fighting a losing battle to keep hold of their prized asset in the long term, having previously said the 24-year-old was "99.9 per cent" likely to stay put.

"If the contract would run only until 2017 - then it would be decisive," he admitted to WAZ.

"But we are honest: it is rather unlikely that he will stay with us until 2019.

"So the length of the deal does not play any major role. Of course I hope that we develop internationally so that elsewhere there are not many better opportunities for a player to improve."

The midfielder has said he will not force Wolfsburg to sell him and Allofs doesn't expect him to hand in a transfer request.

"Kevin has not yet come to me and I'm also assuming that he will not come."