Manchester City agree a transfer record fee to sign their top target

Manchester City are on the brink of signing Kevin De Bruyne for a club-record fee of £56million, despite Wolfsburg's claims a deal is yet to be done.

The Premier League-leading Blues will take their summer spending through the £150m barrier with just the finalising of payments to De Bruyne's former clubs Gent and Chelsea believed to be delaying the transfer.

City have beaten Wolfsburg's German rivals Bayern Munich and French champions Paris Saint-Germain to the capture of midfielder De Bruyne, whose move will be confirmed this weekend.

The clubs have agreed a fee for the 24-year-old Belgium international and are putting the finishing touches to the deal that will see him sign a five-year deal worth £200,000-a-week before Tuesday night's transfer deadline.

Boss Manuel Pellegrini wants De Bruyne to operate on the right side of his side's attack, the position currently occupied by Jesus Navas, who has already claimed to be ready to fight to keep his place.

Although De Bruyne managed 20 assists last season - the most of any player in Europe's top five leagues - as well as 16 goals, some in his homeland feel his dynamic, power-based game is at odds with City's intricate passing style of play.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, has questioned whether De Bruyne has the stomach to fight for his place at an elite club.

De Bruyne joined Chelsea from Genk for £7m in January 2012 but spent the following season on loan at Werder Bremen before finally moving to Stamford Bridge.

After just nine appearances and no goals for Chelsea, De Bruyne was sold to Wolfsburg for £18m in 2014's winter window, and Mourinho revealed this summer: "He told me it was not in his personality to be competing for a position in the team.

"He needed a team where he knows he can play every game. He needs to know that he's important. He did not want a team where he thinks, 'Am I playing or not?' He needs that trust. He needs that quality. He needs that security. So I was not happy when he left.