Pep loves him: Man City willing to pay £50m for "sensational" De Bruyne heir

Manchester City are now willing to pay £50m for a “sensational” midfielder, who could be brought in as a replacement for Kevin De Bruyne this summer, according to a report.

De Bruyne set to leave this summer

De Bruyne has now confirmed he is set to leave Man City at the end of the season, ending his 10-year stay at the Etihad Stadium, and it has been a period of unparalleled success, with the Belgian playing a major role in winning every major trophy available.

As such, the 33-year-old’s legacy will remain intact regardless of how City finish the campaign, but he will no doubt be hoping to go out on a high by securing qualification for the Champions League and winning the FA Cup.

The attacking midfielder will surely go down as one of the all-time Premier League greats, which means it will be extremely difficult for Pep Guardiola to find a suitable replacement this summer, with the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Florian Wirtz mentioned as possible options by David Ornstein.

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Man City will need to find a replacement for their outgoing legend

According to a report from Spain however, Guardiola is a big fan of Barcelona’s Dani Olmo, with Man City identifying the midfielder as the perfect replacement for De Bruyne, given his impressive performances in La Liga.

Such is their level of interest, the Sky Blues are willing to fork out £50m for Olmo, with Guardiola personally of the belief he would be a perfect fit for the tactical system he has put in place, while the Spaniard’s versatility is also appreciated.

The 26-year-old is able to play as both a midfielder and a winger, and he is viewed as a key target for City, who are hoping Guardiola’s relationship with the Barcelona star can help them secure a deal.

“Sensational” Olmo could be suitable De Bruyne heir

In truth, it is going to be very difficult for Guardiola to find an attacking midfielder capable of replicating De Bruyne’s attacking numbers over such a sustained period of time, but there are signs the Spain international could be a suitable replacement.

The former RB Leipzig man has been a key player for Barca when fully-fit this season, picking up seven goals and two assists in La Liga, which has resulted in high praise from the media, with journalist Muhammad Butt lauding him as “sensational”.

Not only that, but the maestro was extremely impressive for Spain en-route to their Euro 2024 victory, picking up three goals and two assists in six matches.

Olmo’s performances for club and country indicate the proposed £50m price tag is fully justified, so it is exciting news that Man City are willing to launch a move this summer, but it will certainly be a tall order to surpass De Bruyne’s achievements at the Etihad Stadium.