After a busy January window, Manchester City are likely to be one of the summer transfer market’s big movers as Pep Guardiola looks to rebuild his faltering side.
City remain fifth in the table following their limp 0-0 draw in the Manchester derby and sit 21 points behind leaders Liverpool, meaning they are just one point away from being mathematically ruled out of the title race and dethroned as four-time Premier League champions.
Changes were inevitable this summer and last week saw Kevin De Bruyne confirm what many fans expected to hear, as the City skipper announced that this will be his final season in Manchester, bringing to an end a ten-year stint at the Etihad.
Manchester City identify another potential Kevin De Bruyne replacement
De Bruyne has been a talisman for Guardiola’s side over the past decade and will go down as one of the best players in Premier League history - all of which means that City face a tough task in replacing him.
Bayer Leverkusen and Germany playmaker Florian Wirtz - ranked at no.3 in FourFourTwo’s list of the planet’s best attacking midfielders this year - has been a long-term target for City, but the club will be weary of putting all of their eggs in one basket and an alternative name has emerged.
According to CaughtOffside, City have identified Atalanta and Belgium midfielder Charles De Ketelaere as a potential De Bruyne replacement, should they fall short in their efforts to land Wirtz this summer.
De Ketelaere completed a reported €24 million move to Serie A side Atalanta last summer following a season-long loan stint in 2023/24 and has emerged as one of Europe’s best and most versatile attacking talents.
The 24-year-old’s ability to play both on the right wing and in a more central attacking position has won him plenty of admirers in recent months, with Liverpool ‘expected’ to be involved in the chase for the Belgian international this summer.
The report also adds that Premier League quintet West Ham, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Newcastle United and Arsenal are also monitoring his situation.
In FourFourTwo’s view, De Ketelaere looks to be delivering on the potential that convinced AC Milan to pay €35m to Club Brugge for his services in 2022.
While he struggled at the San Siro, his return of 11 goals and 11 assists this term and some impressive performances for Atalanta in the Champions League show he could be worth the €38m valutation that Transfermarkt have put on him.
But is he De Bruyne’s heir-in-waiting for City?
Players like the City skipper are borderline irreplaceable and Guardiola will have to look at the very top of the market if he wants to bring in a player who can immediately step into De Bruyne’s shoes, which is why Wirtz will likely remain their first choice.
