Man City ‘identify Premier League and England star’ as potential Kevin De Bruyne replacement – having already shortlisted Florian Wirtz
- De Bruyne has revealed he will leave City after 10 years at the end of the season
- City are already on the hunt for replacements as they look to improve their squad
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Should Phil Foden miss the Club World Cup this summer to be given a rest?
Manchester City have reportedly identified a Premier League star as a potential replacement for Kevin De Bruyne.
City, who will surrender their status as top flight champions in a matter of weeks, likely to Liverpool, are set for a summer rebuild after a dismal season that has seen them fall short in a number of departments.
While they found themselves out of the title race a long time ago, they are currently also out of the qualification spots for the Champions League, while they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup and Champions League early on. They are, however, in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and favourites to win that competition.
Their squad rebuild was brought forward to the winter, with Pep Guardiola’s side signing Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez and Vitor Reis in January.
It will continue into the summer, with Kevin De Bruyne one of a few staple pieces of recent City successes who are set to depart.
While Florian Wirtz has already been identified as a potential replacement, The Athletic report that Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White is also on a shortlist as a potential arrival.
Manchester City have reportedly shortlisted a Premier League star as a potential replacement for Kevin De Bruyne
The club are said to be big admirers of Nottingham Forest and England star Morgan Gibbs-White (right)
De Bruyne has announced that he will be leaving City at the end of the current season
Hugo Viana has officially started work at City as of Monday as Txiki Begiristain’s successor attempts to drive the dethroned champions into a new era.
Mail Sport revealed in October that Viana had accepted the job to take over from Begiristain – as director of football – who is departing after 13 trophy-laden years at the Etihad Stadium.
The Portuguese was initially thought to be beginning in earnest in the summer but has seemingly brought that date forward.
That has allowed City to ramp up their transfer work, having not initially been prioritising that area until Viana was in position.
Gibbs-White, meanwhile, has been a revelation as of late, scoring five goals and picking up a further nine assists for a Forest side who are looking to qualify for the Champions League themselves.
His contract expires in 2027, meaning he would cost City a sizeable fee, but it’s likely they will be willing to spend to help rebuild Guardiola’s squad.
City, meanwhile, have zeroed in on Wirtz, the Germany international who has starred at Bayer Leverkusen, and will attempt to land the attacking midfielder over the coming months as Guardiola reshapes his squad in the hope of clawing back the Premier League crown.
‘The club has to move forward,’ Guardiola said of De Bruyne after it was revealed he would be departing. ‘There are players who are unique, who represent what the club wants to be, and Kevin is one of them.
City boss Pep Guardiola has urged his side to move forward in the absence of the midfielder
Florian Wirtz has already been shortlisted as a potential replacement for the Belgian star
[item name=module id=124549765 style=undefined /]
‘Now it’s a shock, but people will remember how blessed they were to see this type of player, who gave us absolutely everything. You can only be grateful.
‘My period here will always have Kevin there in my memories. He cannot be forgotten.’
