Man City identify Premier League midfielder as direct Kevin De Bruyne replacement

He is one of two external options currently being explored.

City and Premier League legend De Bruyne announced his departure from the club last Friday after a coveted 10 year stay at the Etihad Stadium.

In order to fill the void of the 33-year-old, Pep Guardiola's side have started to look at his successors.

Two players which have been identified as potential targets are Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White and Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz, as per David Ornstein of The Athletic.

The club do not plan to prioritise the targets until the new director of football Hugo Viana embarks on his new role at the club.

It remains undecided at the club as to whether they will look internally for a replacement - whether through the likes of Phil Foden - or externally.

Gibbs-White, has registered five goals and an impressive nine assists in just 27 Premier League games so far this season, with his Nottingham Forest side exceeding expectations.

Forest sit 3rd in the table, with Champions League qualification now a likely possibility.

Currently contracted at the club until 2027, the 25-year-old earned his first England call-up last August, under former interim gaffer Lee Carsley.

More to follow.