Reports indicate that Manchester City have withdrawn from the competition to sign Florian Wirtz.
City were reportedly considering a move for the German player, viewing him as a potential replacement for Kevin de Bruyne, whose contract at the Etihad is set to expire this summer.
However, Pep Guardiola`s team withdrew from the pursuit of the Bayer Leverkusen star after learning the potential total cost of the deal could reach £252 million.
This amount, equivalent to 300 million euros, includes both the transfer fee and wages, and would represent Manchester City`s most expensive signing ever.
The 22-year-old Wirtz has had an impressive season for Xabi Alonso`s Bayer Leverkusen, contributing 16 goals and 15 assists across all competitions. He is widely considered one of Europe`s top young talents.
According to the BBC, City are reportedly concerned that the potential deal is “over-inflated” and would not offer good value for the cost.
City`s decision to withdraw leaves Premier League champions Liverpool and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich as the likely leading contenders to sign Wirtz.
Manchester City has a history of withdrawing from transfer negotiations for players they believe are priced above their market value.
A notable example is when they famously withdrew from the pursuit of England captain Harry Kane in 2022, subsequently signing Erling Haaland instead.
Before acquiring Ballon d`Or winner Rodri in 2019, City had also shown interest in midfielders such as Jorginho, Fred, and Frenkie de Jong before stepping back.
Similarly, Ruben Dias was signed after they opted against moves for Harry Maguire or Kalidou Koulibaly.
Regarding potential alternatives to Wirtz, both Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa and Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan have been mentioned as targets.
Liverpool`s interest in Wirtz follows previous reports linking them with potential moves for his teammate Jeremie Frimpong and Bournemouth`s Milos Kerkez, as they look to strengthen their full-back positions.
