Manchester City regard Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz as the “perfect” player to replace Kevin De Bruyne, according to AS (via Sport Witness).
The Spanish publication claims that the Premier League champions, along with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, are leading the battle to sign the German.
Wirtz has also been linked with Barcelona, Arsenal and Liverpool but it looks like Real will be the Cityzens’ main rival for the player’s services.
AS report that the 21-year-old’s father (who is also his agent) is aware that the Spanish giants are pursuing his son, having made him a top target for the summer transfer window.
However, both City and Real will face a big obstacle in their plans to secure Wirtz’s signature at the end of the season.
Leverkusen have slapped an eyewatering price tag on Wirtz
It is believed that the Bundesliga side are demanding as much as €150m (£126m) for the midfielder. That means City would have to break their transfer record to get him.
The £100m paid for Jack Grealish in 2021 remains the highest fee that the club have shelled out for one player.
Will De Bruyne leave City at the end of his contract?
The Belgian international’s current deal does expire at the end of June, and there are currently no discussions regarding an extension.
In fact, it has been suggested that De Bruyne may be tempted by the riches on offer in Saudi Arabia. It has been reported that he could have moved last summer but a transfer did not materialise.
There is a possibility that the 33-year-old will leave for the Middle East on a free transfer next year, so signing a replacement (such as Wirtz) will be a top priority for new Director of Football Hugo Viana.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
