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Manchester City have cooled their interest in Florian Wirtz amid a rising price and a Bayern Munich transfer battle. The Blues have been keen on the Bayer Leverkusen playmaker as they seek a

summer overhaul which may well be centred on their efforts to replace the departing Kevin De Bruyne. Wirtz, at 21, was seen by many as the perfect long term fit but he seems likely to now

join Vincent Kompany’s German champions barring any dramatic shift. It leaves City exploring alternative options with Morgan Gibbs-White admired at the Etihad but likely to be a pricey

option with Nottingham Forest qualifying for Europe and keen to retain the England international. It remains to be seen whether City will cement their interest in the 25-year-old but there

are plenty of alternative options for the Blues to explore. Here's three. XAVI SIMONS The Dutch playmaker has impressed in the Bundesliga for RB Leipzig and would cost around half the

money Wirtz would. In this seasons evidence is he more than half the player of the German. He’s been a threat for Leipzig with his attacking thrust and stellar performances catching the eye.

He’s comfortable on the ball and looks ready made for a Guardiola given his upbringing at Barcelona. NICO PAZ City fans got their first glimpse of one Argentine star in the making when

Claudio Echeverri came off the bench in the FA Cup final on Saturday. But could the Blues snap up another potential South American superstar? It’s a long shot because Real Madrid are

understood to be keen to activate a buy back clause in Paz’s contract with Como as part of the deal which took the 20-year-old to Italy. Paz has caught the eye in Serie A under the guidance

of manager Cesc Fabregas and his dribbling skills and creative instincts mark him out as a top talent. MOHAMMED KUDUS He’s underperformed somewhat this season in a struggling West Ham side

but his potential is there for all to see. Kudus reportedly has an £85million release clause in his contract and impressed against City in January. He has admirers among the top Premier

League clubs and while he might come with a hefty price tag, he also brings proven top flight quality. A wildcard perhaps, and an expensive one at that, but a move for the 24-year-old could

be a shrewd signing. --- _Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester City coverage and analysis._ _Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest

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