Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz has emerged as Manchester City's top target in the summer window as Pep Guardiola seeks a replacement for the outgoing Kevin de Bruyne
Manchester City have been dealt a massive blow after reportedly learning that Florian Wirtz - the man they hoped would replace Kevin de Bruyne - is only keen on moving to Bayern Munich this summer. City previously looked like frontrunners to sign the exciting Bayer Leverkusen playmaker, who has a string of teams chasing after him following another superb season in the Bundesliga.
Wirtz has reached ten goals and ten assists in the German top flight, with a further six strikes in the Champions League this season, and he is now being tipped to take the next step of his career by joining a top club.
He had previously been earmarked as the ideal successor to De Bruyne, who announced he would be leaving the Etihad after a decade-long spell this season.
City were encouraged they had moved to the front of the queue given Leverkusen's interest in their midfielder James McAtee and goalkeeper Stefan Ortega and they hoped to use that as leverage in their bid to sign Wirtz.
Leverkusen officials have even travelled to City's Etihad Campus for talks over the duo, with the Germans quoted £25million for McAtee, leading to confidence that the Wirtz deal could soon become a formality.
But reports from Germany have now claimed that City have been handed a massive set-back in their chase of Wirtz, who has told manager Xabi Alonso he only wants to join Leverkusen's Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich.
Sport Bild have reported that the 22-year-old is set to leave City disappointed, along with Real Madrid - who were also monitoring the player and tempted to submit a bid for him this summer.
Bayern boss Vincent Kompany now looks set to frustrate his former club City by snapping up their top target as he looks to build upon his Bundesliga title win in his first season.
The Bavarian side have made their interest in Wirtz clear after chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge talked up a move for the player earlier this year.
He called him "the best player in Germany", and said he makes "no secret of the fact that it must clearly be our goal to sign Wirtz".
Rummenigge added: "Everyone at FC Bayern agrees that he is exactly the player we want to sign. Not to weaken Leverkusen, but to strengthen us."
It comes at a time where Leverkusen are also in danger of losing manager Alonso, who is a number one target for Real Madrid amid uncertainty over Carlo Ancelotti's future - with reports the Italian has agreed to leave the Bernabeu for a second time.