Manchester City have now been told how much they will need to pay to sign Florian Wirtz | OneFootball

Officials at Manchester City, along with other suitors, have now been told how much they will need to pay in order to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz this summer.

The Germany international playmaker is believed to be Manchester City’s primary target this summer as club officials work to directly replace Kevin De Bruyne upon the Belgian’s departure from the Etihad Stadium after 10 years of service.

The 33-year-old is believed to have held a brief round of talks with club officials including sporting director Txiki Begiristain and CEO Ferran Soriano, in which he was informed of the club’s stance not to offer renewed terms.

De Bruyne’s pending exit from the Etihad Stadium comes at a time when incoming director of football Hugo Viana plots to welcome in a new wave of players as part of the next generation for the club following a difficult season.

And while the clear successor to Kevin De Bruyne has been identified by Manchester City officials in Florian Wirtz, the four-in-a-row Premier League champions face an uphill battle to secure his services amid firm competition from within Europe.

According to the information of German newspaper BILD, Bayer Leverkusen are not prepared to let go of Florian Wirtz for anything less than €150 million all-in this summer – with the breakdown of the fee made up of a fixed amount plus performance-related add-ons.

That final fee will be subject to negotiations between the relevant clubs, while there is also now the assumption within Bayer Leverkusen that the Germany international midfielder will not extend his deal.

Once again, following reports from the same newspaper on Tuesday, it is reinstated that Wirtz’s desire is to move to Bayern Munich, although officials at Manchester City ‘have not given up yet’.

Officials working in recruitment departments at the City Football Academy are simultaneously working on other potential transfers leading up to the official opening of the summer transfer window.

Midfield will likely remain an area to invest in even if Florian Wirtz ends up at Manchester City, with the club looking towards Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White as a potential arrival over the coming weeks.

Goalkeeper is also set to be reviewed by club officials but will likely hinge on what happens with regards to the futures of Ederson and Stefan Ortega Moreno, although potential replacements are being eyed regardless.

FC Porto and Portugal international Diogo Costa is one name that has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester City in recent weeks, while reports in Italy have suggested that PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma could emerge as a target.