Manchester City face major transfer blow as talks over €25 million per year contract open between club and superstar midfielder | OneFootball

Bayern Munich could hand Manchester City a significant blow regarding their hopes of recruiting a suitable long-term successor to Kevin De Bruyne in the coming markets.

Etihad Stadium officials have likely drawn up a long list of candidates that they view as potential options to replace the Belgian football legend, who has been an integral part of Manchester City’s rise and success since arriving in 2015.

Having registered 388 appearances for the club to date, Kevin De Bruyne has amassed a staggering haul of 16 trophies in that time, alongside 103 goals and 171 assists across all competitions.

As such, the task of replacing the 33-year-old will be one of the most difficult challenges for Manchester City’s recruitment team to handle, and their latest search has taken them to the German game.

Having turned to the same league that helped develop De Bruyne to Manchester City’s attentions, Etihad officials are showing a keen interest in the likes of RB Leipzig’s loan talent Xavi Simons, Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, and Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala.

However, according to the information of Sky Germany, Musiala’s contract extension is a ‘top priority’ for Allianz Arena bosses, and ‘concrete talks’ are already underway between both parties with the player himself ‘very open’ to extending his contract.

Whilst the report stresses that a decision will not be made in a ‘matter of days’, it is also made clear that Musiala is currently not in talks with European giants, such as Real Madrid and Manchester City.

The 21-year-old is currently contracted until the summer of 2026, whilst Bayern Munich want any new agreement to run until 2029 or 2030, with a potential salary package reaching €25 million per year including bonuses.

For now, Manchester City will likely remain focussed on ensuring the services of De Bruyne remain at the Etihad Stadium beyond the end of this season, however it has already been made clear that the player will be allowed time and space to make a decision on his own future.

Speaking over the course of the summer months, manager Pep Guardiola told reporters, “He won the credit to decide his future for himself. What he has done for Manchester City is massive, that’s why he has to decide.”

Guardiola himself is another name that Manchester City will be hoping to retain, and the current understanding is that a contract extension may not be too far away, having been left to make a decision in private alongside family.