Man City handed Champions League warning which may spell bad news for Musiala deal | Football | Sport

Manchester City could switch their focus away from a deal for Jamal Musiala after seeing one of their other targets light up the Champions League. The reigning Premier League champions have been linked with the addition of a new forward, either in January or at the end of the season.

It has been reported that City are well-placed to sign Musiala, who has long been regarded as one of the best attacking talents in Europe. The 21-year-old is said to be stalling over a new contract at Bayern Munich, paving the way for a move elsewhere in the near future.

City are thought to have a keen interest in bringing Musiala to the Etihad Stadium, with Pep Guardiola a huge fan of his talents. However, they might decide to channel their efforts into a move for Florian Wirtz, who dazzled for Bayer Leverkusen against Feyenoord in their Champions League opener.

Wirtz opened the scoring within five minutes and doubled his tally before the half-time interval as the German champions cruised to an emphatic 4-0 victory. He never looked daunted by the occasion despite the game marking his first appearance in the Champions League.

The 21-year-old was linked with a move to City over the summer but nothing materialised and he ended up staying at Leverkusen. However, his stunning form could make him increasingly difficult for City to ignore, which suggests Musiala could fall down their list of priority targets.

City would need to spend a lot of money on both players and they rarely make two marquee signings in one window, meaning it is likely to be a case of one or the other. However, there is no guarantee they would succeed in any attempt to bring Wirtz to the Premier League.

Leverkusen would almost certainly be against selling their prized asset in the middle of the season, with a January exit likely out of the question. They will also be under little pressure to cash in next summer, given that Wirtz remains tied down until 2027.

It suggests City are unlikely to land either Wirtz or Musiala in the near future in spite of their interest in both players. They may instead be forced to pursue other signings, with the odds stacked against them when it comes to securing deals for their top targets.