Manchester City are reportedly willing to pay £103 million to lure RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol to the Etihad this summer.
Since joining Leipzig from Dinamo Zagreb in the summer of 2021, the Croatian has made an impression in the Bundesliga, appearing 87 times, including in the Champions League.
This season, the 21-year-old has been a crucial player for his team, starting 24 Bundesliga matches as the club finished third and secured Champions League football for the following season.
Despite winning a record treble under Pep Guardiola last season, Manchester City are not resting on their laurels and are moving rapidly in the transfer market in order to sustain the club’s extraordinary level of success.
According to the Daily Mail, the Citizens are stepping up their efforts to sign Gvardiol for next season, with the Premier League champions willing to pay £103 million for the pleasure.
The centre-back is thought to want to leave the German club this summer after a good two-year tenure, while Manchester City are said to be looking for a successor for Aymeric Laporte if he leaves this summer.
Gvardiol’s old club Zagreb apparently has a 20% sell-on clause on the defender, which means they may be in for a large sum of money if he moves to the Premier League.
Gvardiol to join Man City for record-breaking fees
According to reports on Sunday, the Croatian has already signed personal terms with Guardiola’s side, following a meeting between City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain and the player’s representatives to explore a deal.
The holders of the Champions League are claimed to be close to finalising the signing of fellow Croatian Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea, who has allegedly undergone a medical.
According to rumours, a £25 million transfer fee paid to the Blues would see the former Real Madrid midfielder move to the Etihad in the coming days, ending Kovacic’s five-year stint at Stamford Bridge.
Gvardiol’s season was cut short after he suffered a groyne injury in May, preventing him from playing for Croatia in their UEFA Nations League matches against the Netherlands and Spain.
After a goalless 120 minutes against the Spaniards, Zlatko Dalic’s side were only a penalty shootout away from claiming their first major championship, but Bruno Petkovic and Lovro Majer missed crucial 12-yard penalties.
Despite being the Premier League’s equal most-stubborn defence last season – only Newcastle United could match City’s record of conceding only 33 goals in 38 league matches – Man City are aiming to bolster their centre-back ranks with the arrival of Gvardiol.
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