Manchester City ‘plan new talks with Josko Gvardiol’ – Sports Mole

Manchester City have reportedly planned a new round of talks with RB Leipzig about a move for the Croatian central defender Josho Gvardiol.

The Citizens are said to have made great strides in recent weeks in their efforts to bring the 21-year-old to the Etihad as Jose Guardiola wants to further strengthen its backline.

RB Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl has admitted Gvardiol is keen to join Guardiola this summer, after seeing a proposed move to the Premier League with Chelsea fall through last year.

The former Dinamo Zagreb player has gone from strength to strength in the Bundesliga over the past 12 months, but he’s made no secret of wanting to play in the Premier League one day.

Die Roten Bullen are protected by Gvardiol’s contract situation, however, as the defender won’t go on a free transfer until 2027, having signed an extension in September.

©Reuters

According to reporter Fabrizio RomanoCity recently made their first offer of €75m (£64.1m) plus add-ons, but the offer fell well short of Leipzig’s asking price of €100m (£85.4m) and was therefore rejected.

City are not throwing in the towel, however, and the treble winners are now expected to hold another round of talks with Leipzig next week in hopes of moving closer to an agreement.

Manchester City are said to have already agreed personal terms with Gvardiol, who has made 87 appearances for Leipzig since joining from Dinamo Zagreb in 2021 for a modest €18.8 million (£16.1 million).

The 21-year-old scored five goals and added three more in the process, helping Die Roten Bullen to take back-to-back DFB-Pokal crowns in his first two seasons with the club.

In a productive 2022/23 campaign, Gvardiol rippled the net three times in 41 appearances in all competitions, including an equalizer against Man City in the first leg of their Champions League final-16 draw, which Guardiola’s side went on to win 7-1 on total.

©Reuters

Born in 2002, the centre-back has also become one of the first names on Croatia’s team sheet and was a standout at the 2022 World Cup. He played every minute of the tournament and scored in his country’s third-placed playoff victory over Morocco. .

Guardiola is spoiled for choice in the back, but there is a question mark hanging over his head Aymeric Laportewho has been linked to a departure from the Etihad for several months.

The Spain international started just 11 Premier League games last season and all of Arsenal, Juventus, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa have taken interest.

Laporte’s contract with the Etihad has two more years to run, and Man City are said to be happy to accept a €30 million fee to part ways with the 29-year-old this summer.

ID:518109:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop:LenBod:collect5597:

Adblock test (Why?)