just in news broke out this week that officials from bayer leverkusen visited the etihad campus in manchester and held talks with manchester city about the possibility of signing two of their players james mcatee and stefan ortega according to mirror football reporter simon mullock the german club is seriously interested in both players and manchester city have already named their asking price for each player city are willing to sell if the right offer comes in they are asking for twenty five million pounds for mcatee and fifteen million pounds for ortega making it a total of forty million pounds if leverkusen wants both players but there is more to this transfer story than just selling players city reportedly have a plan of their own they are not only open to selling mcatee and ortega for the right price but they also want to use leverkusens interest as an opportunity to sign their main summer transfer target florian wirtz the young attacking midfielder who has been making headlines across europe
the news comes at a crucial time for all parties involved as the summer transfer window approaches and clubs begin to prepare for the next season leverkusen are fresh off a historic season under xabi alonso and are looking to strengthen their squad even further despite already winning the bundesliga and possibly going far in europe they know the competition will be stronger next season and they want to add more depth and experience to their squad especially players who can contribute right away like ortega and mcatee stefan ortega has been one of the most reliable backup goalkeepers in the premier league and has performed very well whenever ederson has been unavailable he has shown great reflexes composure and the ability to play out from the back which fits into the style of most top european clubs james mcatee on the other hand is a young talent who has been highly rated within the man city academy and has gained valuable first team experience during his loan spells he has the kind of creativity and flair that leverkusen likes and could be a good fit in their dynamic attacking system
but manchester city are thinking bigger than just selling players they see this as a golden chance to finally land florian wirtz the twenty one year old german playmaker who has been in incredible form this season and is considered one of the best young midfielders in the world city have been monitoring wirtz for a long time and now that leverkusen are showing interest in two of their players city believe they can use this situation to their advantage it is believed that city would be open to including mcatee and ortega in a potential swap deal for wirtz or at least use the negotiations to lower the overall cost of bringing the german star to the etihad
sources close to the situation say that manchester city have made it clear to leverkusen that they will not stand in the way of mcatee and ortega leaving the club but only if the deal helps them in return city are not desperate to sell either player but they know that both are unlikely to get regular game time in pep guardiolas star studded squad mcatee has had to compete with world class midfielders like kevin de bruyne phil foden and bernardo silva while ortega has been firmly behind ederson in the pecking order although ortega has proven his worth especially in cup matches and even played in some crucial league games city understand that he might want a new challenge where he can be a regular starter
for leverkusen the potential arrival of ortega and mcatee could be a smart move not just because of their quality but also because they bring premier league experience and a winning mentality ortega could become their new number one goalkeeper especially if they lose their current keeper in the transfer window mcatee could add more creativity and vision to their midfield giving xabi alonso more tactical options as he prepares his team for another long season in germany and europe
on the other side of the negotiation florian wirtz remains the most wanted player in this entire saga city are reportedly ready to go all in for him but they know it will not be easy wirtz is under contract with leverkusen and has a strong relationship with the club and the fans he has been instrumental in their title winning campaign and has played a key role in their rise under xabi alonso his dribbling ability passing range vision and composure make him the perfect candidate to thrive in guardiolas system city believe that wirtz could become a long term replacement for players like kevin de bruyne or ilkay gundogan who has already left the club they see wirtz as a player who can carry the team forward for the next decade
what makes this story even more interesting is that wirtz has not yet made a final decision about his future while he is happy at leverkusen and has not publicly asked to leave there are signs that he might be open to a move abroad especially to a club like manchester city who can offer him the chance to work with pep guardiola challenge for the champions league and play with some of the best players in the world if wirtz decides he wants to take the next step in his career this summer then city are ready to act fast and aggressively to make the deal happen
there is also a financial aspect to consider while city are one of the richest clubs in the world they still want to do smart business they know that buying wirtz outright could cost over one hundred million pounds but if they can include mcatee and ortega in the deal the overall cost could be reduced significantly this kind of package deal could benefit everyone leverkusen would get two proven players to strengthen their squad and city would get one of the brightest young stars in world football without paying the full asking price
this kind of strategy is not new for manchester city they have often used smart negotiation tactics to land their targets in the past they understand how to create win win situations in the transfer market and this current situation with leverkusen could be another example of that at the same time it also shows that city are always thinking ahead they are not only focused on winning trophies in the present but also building a team for the future getting a player like wirtz would be a huge step in that direction
the coming weeks will be very important as both clubs continue to discuss the possible transfers there are many factors that could influence the outcome including the players own preferences contract details agent negotiations and of course the willingness of leverkusen to part with their star man the interest in mcatee and ortega is real and citys valuation is now on the table so it is up to leverkusen to decide if they are ready to pay that price or try to include the players in a bigger deal for wirtz
fans from both clubs are already reacting to the news with excitement and curiosity city fans are dreaming of seeing florian wirtz in sky blue next season while leverkusen fans are wondering what life would be like with new signings from england some believe that the transfer would be great for all sides while others are still unsure if wirtz will really leave the club especially after such a successful season but in football anything is possible and the transfer window always brings surprises
for james mcatee this could be a big opportunity to finally play regular top level football and continue his development in a strong european league for stefan ortega this could be a chance to become a number one goalkeeper again and show his full potential on a bigger stage and for florian wirtz this might be the moment to step into the spotlight of world football by joining a club that is constantly competing at the highest level
the story is still developing and more updates will surely come in the next few days but one thing is clear manchester city are serious about signing florian wirtz and they are ready to make bold moves to get him using the interest in mcatee and ortega as a bargaining chip could be the key to unlocking one of the biggest transfers of the summer all eyes are now on leverkusen and what they will do next will they accept citys terms and open the door for a new chapter in the careers of three talented players or will they hold firm and try to keep their star man only time will tell but the game of negotiations has officially begun and the summer transfer drama is just getting started
