Manchester City are behind the scenes working on the next Kevin de Bryune who is entering the final stages of his career.
AS they say, all good things must come to an end, and Manchester City knows that the best of their star midfielder is already behind them. Therefore, there is a need for a new player who can come in and provide the same level of output and productivity he did when they were winning multiple league titles.
According to ESPN, City has identified Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz as the ideal candidate for the job after his impressive season with the Bundesliga side and his significant role during the Euros. 3AddedMinutes has also reported that a personality check has been done on him. Pep Guardiola, who is expected to stay on for a couple more seasons before leaving, wants the German to be the new face of his project.
The report further adds that there is considerable interest from Bayern Munich, which feels that every young German with a bright future should be playing for them. However, City believes their recent success has given them similar pulling power, allowing them to secure the deal, potentially surpassing Kai Havertz’s €80 million transfer to Chelsea in 2020.
While Real Madrid has also been linked with Wirtz, Plettenberg reports that Manchester City has made the strongest effort of any foreign club to sign the German international.
The Guardiola pull
One thing that also plays to Manchester City’s advantage is that they have Guardiola, a manager that young talents want to play for, given his success in bringing out the best in players like Leroy Sané and İlkay Gündoğan.
The likelihood of Guardiola signing a contract extension means that Wirtz could see himself playing for a team that will be challenging for the Champions League and the Premier League, while also offering him the opportunity to become one of the best midfielders in the world.
Manchester City has had issues with financial regulations, but they anticipate that the 115 charges against them will be resolved before the end of the year. This means that next summer will be pivotal for them, as they haven’t fully strengthened the team in recent years.
The next generation of stars
In Wirtz, they see a player technically capable of carrying the attacking burden, and also one who is at the right age and possesses the work ethic that often needs to accompany great talent. He is one of the players who meets what they are looking for as a club, both on and off the field, which is why the reported £90 million price tag set by Leverkusen is seen as worth it.
Manchester City has already created a dynasty in the Premier League, but they want to continue impressing, and that’s where players like Wirtz come in—the new generation of stars looking to make a name for themselves.
