IT’S no secret star Max Verstappen is a wanted man, but now there is a money value next to his name that will terrify Red Bull.

Daniel Ricciardo’s teammate remains contracted with Red Bull until the end of the 2019 Formula 1 season, but a report in the United Kingdom claims Ferrari and Mercedes are already preparing a war chest to lure him away from the team that gave him his start.

The Evening Standard has reported Mercedes are in the driver’s seat to secure Verstappen’s long term future with an offer worth four-times as much as he is reportedly paid at Red Bull.

It comes after the 20-year-old secured his breakthrough first win of 2017 on Sunday in Malaysia, once again making raising his value as the next superstar of the sport.

The report claims Mercedes are preparing to offer Verstappen a whopping $34 million (£20 million) per year deal which would make him one of the highest paid drivers in Formula 1.

Including performance bonuses, Verstappen will reportedly earn more than $8 million (£5 million) with Red Bull this year, but is on track to receive a 400 per cent pay rise to $34 million per-year when his contract with Red Bull expires.

“Ferrari and Mercedes will harden up their interest in the Dutchman by making him an offer to become one of the richest drivers in the sport’s history with a £20 million-a-year contract,” the Evening Standard’s Kevin Eason reports.

“Ferrari will not give up hope, though and will make an offer when Verstappen’s Red Bull contract runs out next year despite the likely opposition of Sebastian Vettel, whose relationship with Red Bull’s tyro is strained after a series of on-track incidents.

“Ferrari feel that Verstappen is closer to the Michael Schumacher mould with his fearless style.”

The report claims Mercedes’ decision to sign Valtteri Bottas on a one-year extension until the end of 2018 is a clear sign the reigning champions believe Verstappen is gettable.

The relationship between Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and Verstappen’s father Jos is also another trump card Mercedes has up its sleeve.

Despite the wolves circling, Red Bull boss Christian Horner has repeatedly dismissed reports Verstappen could leave his team at the end of 2018.

Reports claim the final year of Verstappen’s contract includes a clause in the driver’s favour to opt out and put him on the open market.

Horner admits the team will have a fight on its hands to hold onto Verstappen for the long-term.

“We have some things to prove to Max that we are still the best team for him,” Horner told The Evening Standard.

“We gave him his big break and he took it by winning his first race with us and now he has this brilliant win.”

Horner said earlier this year, Verstappen does not have the same clause in his contract that Sebastian Vettel used to jump ship to Ferrari.

“He has a contract for 2019,” Horner said.

“Then after 2019 he’s on the open market.”

“The only driver who had a clause was Mr Vettel. They are on junior driver contracts whereas Seb was able to renegotiate after his second world championship which had a bit of performance in it which gave him the trigger when Fernando made his move from Ferrari. These drivers don’t have that trigger.”