Wolfsburg boss anticipates 'difficult' few days ahead as De Bruyne rumours persist

The prospect of Kevin De Bruyne suiting up for VfL Wolfsburg after the transfer window closes looks bleak following comments from manager Dieter Hecking.

With Manchester City circling the Volkswagen Arena, reportedly preparing an offer worth £45 million, Hecking finally acknowledged Monday that the midfielder's days in the Bundesliga could be numbered.

"These are going to be difficult days for all involved," Hecking said, according to The Guardian, at a ceremony where De Bruyne won an award as Lower Saxony's Footballer of the Year. "And even if our days together should not continue, I would already now like to wish him all the best."

De Bruyne's rather mediocre performance during Wolfsburg's league-opening win against Eintracht Frankfurt, where the Belgian international was removed from the game 15 minutes before full-time, has fuelled reports of an exit as well.

It was an unusual/rare occurrence considering De Bruyne had only been substituted out of four matches last season in all competitions, including the single time he was taken out of a Bundesliga match.