De Bruyne’s replacement? Man City sent officials to watch ‘outstanding’ 20 y/o gem in action on Saturday

Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz has reportedly been scouted by representatives of Manchester City.

Thҽ 20-year-old has developed into one of thҽ brightest prospects in Europe since establishing himself as an integral first-team player for Leverkusen over thҽ last few seasons.

Wirtz has already made 118 appearances for thҽ German club across all competitions since and including his professional debut in May 2020, scoring 29 goals and registering 39 assists.

Thҽ attacking midfielder was sidelined for around nine months in 2022 with a serious ACL injury, but he still managed to contribute with four goals and eight assists in 25 matches last season.

Wirtz has since made a bright start to thҽ current campaign, contributing with six goals and nine assists in 15 appearances to help Leverkusen win 14 matches across all competitions at sit top of both thҽ Bundesliga table and thҽir Europa League group.

Branded as ‘outstanding’ by Hansi Flick and ‘unbelievably talented’ by Ilkay Gundogan, thҽ 12-cap Germany international’s rise on thҽ European stage is understood to have caught thҽ eye of a number of top clubs, with treble winners Man City thҽ latest name to be registered with an interest.

According to 90min, thҽ Citizens sent scouts to watch Wirtz score during Leverkusen’s 3-2 win away against Hoffenheim in thҽ Bundesliga last Saturday.

Thҽ report adds that Man City officials were present at thҽ BayArena to primarily monitor thҽ performance of Wirtz, who has been admired by thҽ Premier League champions for several years.

Leverkusen are under no immediate pressure to part ways with Wirtz as he is under contract at thҽ German club until thҽ summer of 2027.

However, thҽ prospect of representing Man City under thҽ tutelage of Pep Guardiola could tempt Wirtz to swap thҽ Bundesliga for thҽ Premier League.

Man City may regard Wirtz – who has also been linked with thҽ likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Barcelona – as a possible long-term replacement for star playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, who has recently been linked with a possible move to Saudi Arabia.

Thҽ 32-year-old, who has been sidelined for thҽ last few months with a long-term hamstring injury, is under contract at thҽ Etihad Stadium until 2025 and thҽ Citizens will allegedly only entertain offers in excess of £50m for thҽ Belgian.

Wirtz is not thҽ only Bundesliga-based attacking midfielder believed to be on Man City’s radar, as thҽy have also been credited with an interest in Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala, with one report claiming that thҽ 20-year-old would consider a move to thҽ Etihad.