Manchester City are contemplating a “swap deal” for Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, according to TBRFootball.
The website claims that the Premier League champions are “willing” to include players in their offer for the German.
It is believed that Leverkusen are fans of both Oscar Bobb and James McAtee, and they would likely be open to selling Wirtz if either (or both) City midfielders were included in a bid.
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City will have a hard time meeting Wirtz’s reported €150m (£124m) asking price so a part-exchange offer would make a lot of sense.
It could also help the Cityzens avoid any potential issues with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.
Wirtz does have other potential suitors
TBRFootball claim that the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also in the mix to sign the 21-year-old.
Many of these teams are also expected to offer players in their own bids for Wirtz, but the fact that City are aware that Leverkusen are keen on Bobb and McAtee could give them an advantage over their rivals in negotiations.
City need to replace De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne is now 33 and, in addition to his age, the fact that he is now picking up his fair share of injuries means the club are reluctant to hand him another lengthy contract.
With the Belgian’s current deal set to expire in June, there is now a strong possibility that the Cityzens will part ways with their main playmaker.
In that context, it is understandable why interest in Wirtz is intensifying. Although the German international doesn’t play in the exact same position, his creativity could make up for the loss of De Bruyne if the midfielder does leave the Etihad next summer.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here