Manchester City trailing in race for German-born midfielder amid Bayer Leverkusen talks | OneFootball

Manchester City need to ‘up their game’ to sign Ibrahim Maza from 2 Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin in the summer transfer window, as per a new report from Germany.

The reigning Premier League champions will witness significant upheaval in the first-team squad as several senior players are expected to be on the way out to pave the way for a new-look side that Pep Guardiola will build to challenge on all fronts next season.

Kevin De Bruyne is the first senior player to confirm this will be his last season in a Manchester City shirt as it remains to be seen whether the 33-year-old Belgian will represent the 2023 treble winners at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States between June and July.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz has been identified as Manchester City’s dream replacement for De Bruyne, who is understood to have not been offered a new contract by the club to extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium beyond 10 years.

Txiki Begiristain will step away from his role as director of football in the coming months and his replacement Hugo Viana has already begun working from Manchester – with the pair set to orchestrate City’s transfer dealings in the summer.

A below-par season on the field that saw Manchester City fail to challenge for the Premier League and UEFA Champions League is likely to see the Blues make further ruthless contract decisions after deciding against extending De Bruyne’s stay.

There are key decisions to be made on the future(s) of Jack Grealish, Ederson, Stefan Ortega Moreno and Matheus Nunes – all of whom have been strongly linked with moves away from the Etihad Stadium as the season comes to a close.

City remain in the hunt for a top-five Premier League finish with six games to play in their bid to ensure UEFA Champions League qualification for the 2025-26 season; whilst being in the running to bring home an eighth FA Cup title ahead of a semi-final tie against Nottingham Forest at Wembley.

As per a new report by Bild, Manchester City have been tracking Hertha Berlin forward Ibrahim Maza but will need to ‘up their game’ to sign the Berlin-born, Algerian attacking midfielder in the summer transfer window, as relayed by Sport Witness.

Bayer Leverkusen are understood to be leading the race to sign Maza and Leverkusen are believed to value their talented 19-year-old star at €10 million, with the existence of a release clause in the teenager’s contract also raised in the report.

Manchester City are expected to throw all their eggs in the Florian Wirtz basket and it has been reported recently the Blues are willing to meet Leverkusen’s staggering €150 million valuation of the 21-year-old, whom Pep Guardiola has spoken with personally to explain how he would fit into his lineup as a replacement for De Bruyne.