Man City plot swap deal move for Ballon d’Or nominee as Newcastle United target ‘unsettled’ ex-Everton star

Premier League champions Manchester City are reportedly plotting an ambitious move to sign Bundesliga-winning midfielder Florian Wirtz in the summer transfer window.

The 21-year-old German international played an integral role in Bayer Leverkusen’s first ever league title win last term and was named Bundesliga Player of the Season as Xabi Alonso’s side completed an unbeaten domestic double, all while setting a new European record for consecutive competitive matches without a loss (49), breaking Benfica's record of 48 games unbeaten set between 1963 and 1965.

Leverkusen lost just one of their 53 matches across all competitions last season as they made it all the way to the Europa League final before falling short at Atalanta. Wirtz was central to this success with 15 goals and 13 assists across all competitions, in a season which was reminiscent of Kevin de Bruyne’s final term at Wolfsburg before his £55m move to City in 2015.

Wirtz’s amazing individual campaign saw him earn nominations for the Ballon d’Or and he was ultimately put in 12th place for his efforts during a stellar 2023/24 season.

Man City plan swap deal move for Florian Wirtz

Mail Sport understands Pep Guardiola’s team are lining up a blockbuster move for Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Florain Wirtz as they search for a long-term replacement for experienced star Kevin de Bruyne who is in the final few months of his contract with the champions.

City fell to a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in their last match, in a game which highlighted the drop in quality of De Bruyne after a series of injuries, and the team’s need to quickly find a successor in the summer, as per the opinion of well-renowned journalist Olvier Holt.

Mail Sport adds that any potential offer for Wirtz is likely to include a player plus cash option, which could see James McAtee move in the other direction as part of the deal. Reports revealed in January explained that Alonso’s team had expressed an interest in bringing McAtee to the BayArena in January and it is thought that a formal approach was made late in the window.

Guardiola has struggled to give former Sheffield United loanee McAtee regular first team opportunities this season despite his side’s poor form and is believed to be considering offloading the academy graduate in the summer before he begins the final season of his contract.

Newcastle United set their sights on unsettled ex-Everton ace

The aforementioned Florian Wirtz was denied a treble last season because of the form of one man in particular in Ademola Lookman, whose incredible hat-trick for Atalanta helped them to a stunning 3-0 victory over the German champions in the Europa League final. The ex-Everton and Leicester City man has hit double figures in all three of his seasons in Italy and has now established himself as a proven goalscorer in a more advanced central role than the one he played in England.

Lookman has scored 49 times and produced 22 assists in 107 appearances for high-flying Atalanta, but is expected to leave the Gewiss Stadium after a public fall-out with manager Gian Piero Gasperini.

The experienced coach publicly described Lookman as “one of the worst penalty takers he has ever seen” after his team’s home Champions League defeat vs Club Brugge.

In a post on Instagram, Lookman said Gasperini’s comments singling him out were “deeply disrespectful” and hurtful, leading to reports that the ‘unsettled’ forward could seek a move away from the club this summer.

TEAMtalk understands that several clubs are keeping a close watch on Lookman’s situation and Newcastle are one of the leaders in the race for his signature. The Magpies are keen to bring in a new right-winger to compete with Jacob Murphy after the sale of Miguel Almiron in January - and could also utilise Lookman in the forward position if Callum Wilson leaves on a free transfer at the end of his contract. Atalanta have reportedly set a valuation of around £53m on Lookman.

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