Man City 'increasingly confident' of beating Liverpool to Musiala

Stuart Telford

• 3 Mar 2024 10:43 GMT
• 3 min read

Manchester City have pulled ahead of Liverpool in the race to sign Bayern Munich ace Jamal Musiala, according to a report.

Both clubs have sent scouts to watch Musiala in action in recent weeks, and were in attendance as the champions were beaten 3-0 by Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen last month.

Musiala - and indeed the rest of his team - might have had an off day that day, but he has nonetheless had 13 direct goal-involvements across Bundesliga and Champions League this season.

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Bayern know what they have got in their 21-year-old who is valued at €94.6 million by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm, and have been trying to extend his contract beyond 2026.

But reportedly to no avail, and now City are ready to swoop.

"[At the Leverkusen game] Bayern's £150,000-a-week new contract offer for midfielder Musiala was still on the table," writes The Daily Star's Harry Pratt.

Contract rebel

"But it is understood he has since informed the Bundesliga giants he will not be signing it - fuelling speculation he will leave the club in July.

"City were made aware of that decision last week and are increasingly confident of winning the battle for the much-coveted Musiala…"

A Germany international, Musiala grew up in London and was capped at youth level by England, meaning he should have little trouble adjusting to a move to the Premier League.

READ MORE: Latest Man City transfer news

Bayern would be loath to sell, but better to cash in now than lose him on a free later.

They are adopting a similar policy with Alphonso Davies currently. The Canadian left-back is out of contract in 2025, and Bayern are understood to be ready to cash in this summer with Real Madrid hovering.

City perhaps have a clearer path for Musiala than Liverpool, with the player tagged as a potential long-term replacement for the 32-year-old Kevin De Bruyne.