Manchester City are now considering a move for Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz to replace Riyad Mahrez, with Pep Guardiola believed to be a huge fan of the winger, according to a recent report from Football Transfers.
What's the latest Man City transfer news?
With Riyad Mahrez recently leaving to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli, Guardiola is tasked with bringing in a replacement, and there have now been reports that a move for Michael Olise is a real possibility.
Although Chelsea have made an approach for Olise, a move to the Etihad Stadium is now believed to be "very probable", with the winger seemingly emerging as a key target to fill the void left in the squad after Mahrez's departure.
However, the Sky Blues do have some other players in mind, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently confirming that Rennes winger Jeremy Doku is "on the list" of targets to replace Mahrez.
Wirtz has also been a long-term target for the Citizens, with 90min claiming they had reignited their interest back in March, and according to a report from Football Transfers, they could now step up their pursuit of the Bayer Leverkusen winger.
The German is being eyed as an heir to Mahrez, with Guardiola said to be a huge admirer of his technical ability and potential.
Negotiating a deal for the 20-year-old may prove to be tricky, however, as Bayer Leverkusen have already sold Moussa Diaby during this transfer window, while Edmond Tapsoba is potentially heading to Tottenham.
With the futures of Jonathan Tah and Jeremie Frimpong also uncertain, the price for the youngster may be significantly inflated, but the Bundesliga club are willing to part with him for the right price.
One potential boost for City is that the player himself is open to a move, which could make negotiating personal terms much easier should a suitable fee be agreed with Leverkusen.
How good is Florian Wirtz?
There are indications the Germany international could be capable of going right to the very top, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig hailing him as "one of the world's biggest talents", in light of the impact he made after returning from injury last season.
The Pulheim-born youngster made a significant contribution for Leverkusen after showing the resilience to come back from a long-term lay-off, registering four goals and eight assists for the German side in all competitions.
Given that he has averaged 58.61 passes per 90 in the past year, placing him in the 96th percentile compared to his positional peers, the starlet could be a perfect fit for a Guardiola system, and he is already showing signs he could surpass Mahrez.
The attacker is a far better dribbler of the ball than his potential predecessor, placing in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons, with the Algeria international ranking in the 35th, while he has also averaged more shot-creating actions.
Wirtz has exhibited that he is more than capable of being a fantastic long-term replacement for Mahrez, and it is exciting news that Man City are in the race for his signature.