Manchester City have agreed personal terms with RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, according to reports.
The current treble winning team, Man City have been in discussions with the Croatian international throughout this window, with transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano reporting that he has agreed personal terms with the Cityzens.
Josko Gvardiol, the 23-year-old defender has been linked with several European clubs with Real Madrid also interested in his service after an outstanding performance in Qater 2022 helping Croatia clinch third place in the tournament.
Given that several of Real Madrid’s starting center-backs are in their 30s or older, it’s easy to see why they could be interested in signing him.
A deal for Gvardiol appears to be progressing, but it is Manchester City that are leading the race.
Josko Gvardiol blow onto the undisputed spotlight with extraordinary performances at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar which garnered general applause from pundits and supporters.
However, the Premier League winners are reportedly in negotiations to sign the Croatia defender as they want to strengthen their defense despite their recent treble triumph.
According to reports, Pep Guardiola is a big fan of Gvardiol and the Spaniard is keen on bringing the defender to the Etihad Stadium.
RB Leipzig valuation for Josko Gvardiol
However, according to Fabrizio Romano, RB Leipzig are shrewd in the market and will not let their defender leave cheaply. They are asking for at least 100 million euros, which would make him the most expensive center-back in history.
He declared that talks will take place between the clubs and it won’t be easy negotiations as RB Leipzig hope to keep their man.
He added that Manchester City coach, Pep Guardiola has already sent excellent feedback on Josko Gvardiol as top center-back for the future.
Meanwhile, Manchester City have not been worried about spending hefty money on their defense in recent years though, with John Stones, Kyle Walker, Aymeric Laporte, commanding huge transfer fees.
After earning worldwide acclaim for his team’s dramatic effort in their World Cup group stage draw with Belgium, which advanced them to the knockout phase at the cost of the Red Devils, Gvardiol scored the game-winning goal in the third-place playoff, helping his country claim the bronze medal.
Although Gvardiol was instrumental in helping the Vatreni win their group in the Nations League, he was unable to attend the tournament’s final game because of suspension. As a result, Croatia fell to Spain on penalty kicks.
The loss of Aymeric Laporte this season necessitated the Cityzens bringing in Gvardiol.
They have apparently lost Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona and have completed a deal with Chelsea for Mateo Kovacic.
While watching his City side draw 1-1 with Leipzig in the Champions League back in February in Eastern Germany, Guardiola got a good look at Gvardiol.
Gvardiol isn’t the only high-profile player rumored to be joining Manchester City this summer, PSG right-back Achraf Hakimi has also been linked to the Etihad move.
Walker is rumored to be considering a move to Bayern Munich, prompting Guardiola to explore the market for a right defender, recent developments have bolstered the case for a move for Hakimi.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Hakimi wants to leave Paris this summer since he is dissatisfied at the French powerhouse.
Josko Gvardiol’s contract with RB Leipzig
The 23-year-old Croatia International has a contract with Leipzig that keeps him at the club till 2027 but has a release clause of £97 million that will become active in 2024.
What’s next for Josko Gvardiol?
According to Friday’s reports, City is contemplating a move for Gvardiol if Aymeric Laporte announces his wish to depart and the 23-year-old will be looking forward to joining arguably the best team in Europe.
