BERLIN - Wolfsburg striker Bas Dost has urged Manchester City target Kevin De Bruyne to snub the English giants and help the German side challenge Bayern Munich for this season's Bundesliga title instead.
Wolfsburg's Bas Dost (R) and Kevin De Bruyne celebrate during a Bundesliga match on March 1, 2015
According to British media reports, City are poised to swoop with a pound sterling50 million (69.9m euros, $78.1m) offer for the Belgian attacking midfielder and Wolfsburg, last season's runners-up, are desperate to hold onto their star player.
Wolfsburg's sporting director Klaus Allofs has insisted De Bruyne will face Cologne on Saturday and Dost says the team needs the midfielder, who scored 16 goals and supplied 29 assists last season.
"He is immensely important, he has put in countless assists and is a real team player," Dutch striker Dost told goal.com.
"He's an outstanding player and therefore I hope he stays. If he now leaves, we'll be automatically weaker as a team.
"He's our most important player, but we can still put in a strong season, even without Kevin."
At an awards ceremony on Monday, De Bruyne insisted he will stay at Wolfsburg this season, but the German club face an anxious wait until the transfer window closes on August 31 with City seemingly determined to get their man.
The Belgian was named Germany's player of the season in 2014/15 and has been outstanding for Wolfsburg since signing from Chelsea in January 2014.