BERLIN (AFP)--The head of GM Europe has said he hopes German carmaker Opel will be bought by Magna International (MGA) by mid-July, adding that the Canadian firm has a "considerable lead" on other possible buyers, a report said Saturday.

"The only thing remaining is for the details to be agreed" between the two businesses, Carl-Peter Forster said in an interview due appear in the Sunday newspaper Frankfurter Allegemeine Zeitung.

"After the meeting of the leaders of General Motors (GM) and Magna, I am absolutely convinced that there will be an agreement," he said.

He didn't specify a date for the signing of the contract but said "it would be great if could be done between now and mid-July."

The German government last month announced a rescue plan for Opel in which 35% of the company would go to the Russian state bank Sberbank (SBER.RS), 20% would go to Magna International and 35% would stay with GM.