Florian Wirtz (foto: Getty Images)
Manchester City are preparing a €150 million offer for Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz as they look to replace outgoing star Kevin De Bruyne in what could be the summer’s biggest transfer.
Manchester City are preparing a record-breaking summer move to sign Florian Wirtz as the long-term successor to Kevin De Bruyne, according to reports from Bild. With De Bruyne expected to leave at the end of the season, City are ready to splash out €150 million to secure one of Europe’s brightest midfielders.
The 20-year-old German star has been in sensational form for Bayer Leverkusen, playing a key role in Xabi Alonso’s title-winning season and drawing comparisons to the likes of De Bruyne himself. Bild reports that City are not only willing to meet Leverkusen’s astronomical price tag but are also ready to offer Wirtz a salary of €25 million per season — a figure that dwarfs his current wage.
Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has repeatedly insisted that Wirtz will stay at the club next season. However, with City’s offer potentially too good to turn down and pressure building from multiple top clubs, the situation may shift quickly.
There is also internal debate over Wirtz's future: his father reportedly favours a move to Bayern Munich, but former Bayern president Uli Hoeness has stated publicly that such a deal would require “crazy” money — likely beyond Bayern’s typical limits.
If completed, Wirtz’s transfer would set a new record fee for Manchester City and rank among the highest in Premier League history. City began their squad rebuild during the winter and are now preparing for one of the most ambitious windows of the Pep Guardiola era.
De Bruyne, who has been at City since 2015, is reportedly ready to take on a new challenge, possibly in the Saudi Pro League or MLS. His departure marks the end of an era — and Wirtz, should he join, will have monumental boots to fill.