Man City ‘working on Florian Wirtz deal’ as’five-man transfer plan’ revealed
Man City are working on a deal to sign Bayer Leverkusen superstar Florian Wirtz as part of a massive squad overhaul in the summer.
That is according to former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that the 21-year-old is viewed as the ideal replacement for Kevin de Bruyne.
The midfielder has just months remaining on his current contract which is set to expire at the end of the season, and no progress has been made towards a new deal.
After spending £180million on incoming transfers in January, work has already begun behind the scenes to further bolster Pep Guardiola’s ranks.
This comes after Brown told Football Insider that City are planning to continue their overhaul of the squad in the summer with five positions targeted.
Those players included the likes of De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan amid ongoing questions about their long-term futures at the Etihad.
Now, Wirtz is viewed as one of the answers to those questions and City are prepared to rival European giants in the race to win his signature.
Florian Wirtz to replace Kevin de Bruyne at Man City
Football Insider exclusively revealed on 14 February that City would need to pay “around £100million” to sign Wirtz amid competition from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
Brown, who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, insisted the club have already begun working on the deal behind the scenes and are keen to get it done.
“He’s a very impressive young player,” he told Football Insider.
“The more you see of him, the more you see things in him that will be very appealing to Man City.
“Everybody in the game speaks very highly of him.
“I think he’s a typical Manchester City player, based on his style.
“City do their homework well, they will will know chapter and verse about him character-wise, ability-wises and situation-wise.
“So they’ll be working hard behind the scenes to put themselves in a good position.
“They’ve got a few concerns in midfield and it’s a position they want to strengthen.
“Rodri has got to come back and recover his form, there’s never any certainty that happens.
“Then you’ve got Gundogan, Silva and De Bruyne all with question marks about their futures.
“Wirtz is more of an attacking player and he can play wide as well, so he’s the ideal replacement for De Bruyne in that sense, and he could be leaving in the summer.
“That’s a decision they’ll have to make – whether to keep him or let him go.”
Pep Guardiola eyes midfield reinforcements in summer move
The midfield has been a key area of focus for Man City given the number of ageing and injured players who have been so key to their success in recent years.
Alongside De Bruyne and Gundogan’s futures, Rodri’s long-term injury has also raised concerns about the lack of cover and preparation for his decline in the team.
As a result, Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton has been earmarked as a potential long-term option for his position after impressing since his move to South London.
Brown told Football Insider on 12 February that City have sent scouts to keep tabs on his progress following his return from injury earlier this month.
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