With Kevin De Bruyne set to leave Manchester City in the summer, it will be fascinating to see who Pep Guardiola’s side decides to sign as his replacement. It will not be at all easy to find someone to step into De Bruyne’s shoes. He has 107 goals and 177 assists in 415 games for the club.
However, someone has to do it, and perhaps they look in-house for the solution. In that case, the answer might be Phil Foden, who has excelled as a number ten for City when given the chance to play there. He has 24 goals and 16 assists in 51 appearances in that role.
If City are to make a signing to replace De Bruyne, then Florian Wirtz might be the player they look to sign.
The latest in City’s pursuit of Wirtz
If there is one player who City really seem to want as their De Bruyne replacement, it is Germany and Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Wirtz. According to a recent report from BILD, they are ‘keen to sign’ him along with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Yet again, it has been quite an extraordinary season for Wirtz in 2024/25. A key part of Leverkusen’s invincible season last term, he has continued that form this season and has once again shone for Xabi Alonso’s team.
In 40 games across all competitions this season, the 21-year-old has managed 15 goals and 13 assists. That includes 20 goal involvements in 26 Bundesliga appearances.
With that in mind, it might not be a surprise to learn that the Germany international is so highly valued by Transfermarkt. They believe the 21-year-old is worth an eye-watering £120m; he could cost City a pretty penny if they want to sign him this summer.
Incredibly, the reigning Premier League champions have someone worth even more than Wirtz, who has been a key part of their success in recent years.
The City player worth more than Wirtz
When you think of the crucial players for City in their 2022/23 treble-winning season, three names might spring to mind: De Bruyne, Rodri, or Erling Haaland. Well, the latter was arguably the key player in that famous season for the East Mancunians and has been deadly in front of goal during his City career.
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In 138 appearances for the club so far, the City number nine has an extraordinary 120 goals, along with 20 assists, to take his goals and assists per game ratio above one. He simply cannot stop scoring for City.
The Norway international has been deadly throughout the three years he has spent at City so far. However, one season stands out. His most prolific campaign was his first in Sky Blue, the treble-winning campaign, where Haaland managed 52 goals and nine assists.
This term, the 24-year-old has been in imperious form, although not to the levels he has previously shown. Haaland has only managed 30 goals and four assists in 40 games this term. They are the standards Haaland has set himself.
The Citizens centre-forward has superb underlying numbers from the last 365 days, too, courtesy of FBref. For example, he averages 0.87 goals per game, which ranks him in the top 3% of strikers in Europe.
Goals
0.87
97th
Shots
3.79
92nd
Shots on target
1.97
99th
Goals per shot
0.19
72nd
Expected goals
0.88
99th
With that in mind, hearing Haaland’s value is £171.4m according to Transfermarkt might not be a surprise. He is over £50m higher in transfer value than Wirtz, which shows just how well Haaland has done for City.
In many ways, their number nine is the original Wirtz. That is to say, an exciting young talent signed from the Bundesliga, who took to the Premier League like a duck to water.
As Statman Dave said, the Norwegian is “extraordinary”.
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1 ByRoss KilvingtonApr 14, 2025