In light of recent transfer rumors, it appears that Manchester City officials are targeting a name that is a little more unconventional to succeed Kevin De Bruyne.
The Belgium international is nearing the end of his contract at Etihad Stadium; if he chooses not to extend with the team, he will be free to depart Manchester City in the summer after playing for Sky Blue for nine seasons.
On the other hand, it is thought that Manchester City still intends to renew De Bruyne’s contract because they don’t think his current injury difficulties will significantly affect his availability.
His season was virtually cut in half the previous season due to surgery for a recurring hamstring issue following an injury he incurred against Burnley on opening weekend. He was sidelined until the second half of 2023–2024.
However, those in charge of recruiting are busily getting ready for life without the storied creative midfield player, even though Pep Guardiola and Manchester City still have De Bruyne at the forefront of their on-field ambitions.
Sport Witness translated and re-posted information from the Spanish publication AS stating that Manchester City, the reigning Premier League winners, are vying with Real Madrid for Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen.
The 21-year-old is allegedly the perfect replacement for Luka Modrić, according to reports from Los Blancos. Chief scout Juni Calafat and CEO José Ángel Sánchez are spearheading the transfer effort.
Real Madrid is aware, meanwhile, that they will have “tough competition,” particularly from Manchester City, who consider Wirtz to be a “perfect” replacement for Kevin De Bruyne and a potential long-term complement to Ilkay Gundogan.
It comes as no surprise that Bayern Munich and Barcelona are both eager to add Florian Wirtz to their teams in the German league, but their financial difficulties have hindered them in a number of markets.
With a contract that expires in the summer of 2027, AS claims that Bayer Leverkusen, the Bundesliga champions, will not allow their star player to depart for less than €150 million.
With longtime Director of Football Txiki Begiristain departing the team at the end of the current campaign, it is unclear which of Manchester City’s directors will start the process of finding a Kevin De Bruyne replacement.
Hugo Viana of Sporting CP would then assume his position and oversee operations during the 2025 summer transfer window after serving as Begiristain’s assistant for six months during his initial training at the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City looked quickly for someone to replace the seasoned Begiristain, and the 60-year-old was a major factor in selecting the next official to fill the role, with Quique Carcel of Girona also being considered.
