Constant speculation as to whether Kevin de Bruyne will join Manchester City is unsettling both Wolfsburg's midfield star and his teammates, club sporting director Klaus Allofs conceded on Sunday.
According to British media reports, City are poised to raise their offer to £50 million (Dh288m) to meet Wolfsburg's asking price for the Bundesliga's player of the year for 2014/15.
The deal would be a club record for City, surpassing the £49m they paid for Liverpool’s England midfielder Raheem Sterling. Wolfsburg paid Chelsea just £17m for De Bruyne in 2014.
But after failing to shine in Wolfsburg’s season-opening 2-1 league win over Eintracht Frankfurt last Sunday, De Bruyne put in another below-par performance in Wolfsburg’s 1-1 draw at Cologne on Saturday in the Bundesliga.
Read more: The National's Transfer Talk page
Last season’s runners-up needed a late Nicklas Bendtner goal to equalise.
Allofs said the uncertainty about De Bruyne’s future has been a distraction for both the player and the team.
“It’s true that we are influenced by it, but we can’t complain and we have to learn to deal with such disturbances and distractions,” Allofs said.
“Kevin’s performances has corresponded with that of the team, but that’s a good sign that he is still part of the side.
“It doesn’t mean that he has played particularly badly, just that he hasn’t produced his best performances on two occasions.
“I will not accept it as an excuse. We can’t just blame everything on the current situation.”
The Belgian has been outstanding for Wolfsburg since arriving from Chelsea in January last year. Allofs does not expect the City speculation to end until the transfer window closes on August 31.
Before then, fifth-place Wolfsburg host Schalke, who are currently third, next Friday in a league match.
“The question I’ll answer by August 31 at the latest,” Allofs replied when asked if De Bruyne will remain a Wolfsburg player.
“If you ask me now if he’ll play on Friday against Schalke, the answer as of today is ‘yes’.”
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Schedule:
Pakistan v Sri Lanka:
28 Sep-2 Oct, 1st Test, Abu Dhabi
6-10 Oct, 2nd Test (day-night), Dubai
13 Oct, 1st ODI, Dubai
16 Oct, 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi
18 Oct, 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi
20 Oct, 4th ODI, Sharjah
23 Oct, 5th ODI, Sharjah
26 Oct, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
27 Oct, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
29 Oct, 3rd T20I, Lahore
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The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
