Could Miley Cyrus wind up taking Katy Perry’s place on American Idol?

Yes, as you’ve likely heard by now, Katy is ending her time on Idol, and the hunt for a suitable replacement has kicked into high gear.

According to a new report from Life & Style, Miley is producers’ “first choice” for the job. But there’s a problem.

Will Miley Cyrus Be Able to Reach a Deal With American Idol Producers?

Apparently, Katy received a massive salary for her work on the show.

And with ratings on a slight decline, Idol producers were hoping to shell out slightly less money for their next judge.

But Miley won’t come cheap, and it’s possible that her salary demands will prevent this deal from happening.

“The big issue hanging over Katy’s mostly successful run on Idol has been the enormous paycheck she managed to negotiate from the start of her judging term that only increased incrementally in the years since,” a source tells Life & Style.

“With Katy finally getting back to making music full-time, Disney and ABC are looking to replace her with just as famous a name at a somewhat discounted price.”

Miley isn’t too thrilled about being the discount option.

But the source says she’s very much interested in joining Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie at the judges’ table next season.

Can American Idol Afford Miley?

“Miley really does love the competition space,” the insider says.

“She has a lot more fun judging and mentoring than she has in her various forays into acting as an adult. And she also knows her fans actually show up to watch her on these shows.”

Yes, Miley fans will check out any show that she’s a part of. And that loyalty could serve as a powerful bargaining chip in her upcoming negotiations.

“That’s really her secret weapon in extracting a big fee from Disney and ABC,” the insider says.

“Miley’s been in this situation before and she knows how to make it work in her favor,” the source continues.

“The only thing that’s keeping the two sides apart at the moment is Miley’s fee, but she is absolutely the first choice to replace Katy in this franchise.”

Who Are the Other Candidates For the Job?

Of course, Idol producers are not without options.

As we’ve previously discussed, many fans of the show think that Adele should replace Katy.

And of course, there’s a sizable contingent that believes Katy’s former rival Taylor Swift should be the next Idol judge.

But both of those options would probably be even more expensive.

And while Adele and Taylor both have pipes, few modern entertainers can top Miley when it comes to personality and camera presence.

Miley Cyrus Is ‘Idol’ Producers’ ‘First Choice’ to Replace … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.