Manchester City have a ‘deal in place’ with RB Leipzig for defender Josko Gvardiol for a fee of around £78 million, according to a report from Fabrizio Romano. This would be a world-record fee for a centre-back, and the defender is expected to undergo a medical on Friday should the clubs finalise details of the agreement.
Manchester City Agree Fee for Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig
Long Transfer Saga for Manchester City Close to Wrapping Up
Reports in late June stated that personal terms with the 21-year-old defender had been agreed, with Blues boss Pep Guardiola rating the defender highly and keen on the move. The deal has taken a very long time, but Romano has now reported that Gvardiol is set to become the most expensive centre-back transfer in history.
At one stage, it looked as if the deal might fall apart, following leaks of a suggested verbal agreement between the clubs. Now, finally, City look poised to sign their key summer target.
Read More: ‘A Race Between Man City, Man Utd and Juventus’: Plettenberg Releases Update On Spectacular Defender
Croatian Defender Has impressed With Club and Country
A masked Gvardiol left a lasting impression on fans and pundits alike following his exceptional performances in the 2022 World Cup, as he helped guide Croatia to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals. Despite his national side being comfortably beaten by Argentina 3-0, the then 20-year-old was praised as the breakout star in Qatar by Jurgen Klinsmann.
The centre-back showed plenty of tributes at Leipzig which led Manchester City to believe he could fit in their system. A solid, left-footed central defender, he gives Guardiola options on the left and in the middle to compete with Nathan Ake and Ruben Dias. The Croatian was described as ‘incredible’ by pundit Nedhum Onuoha following his performances against his new club in the 2022-23 Champions League round-of-16.
Watch: Pep Guardiola WILL DEFEND Manchester City’s Treble – Here’s How
Chelsea Have Previously Been in Negotiations for Josko Gvardiol
Throughout the 2022/23 season, Chelsea had been in talks with Leipzig for the young prodigy, but the clubs failed to reach an agreement. Manchester City made their interest known quickly during the summer break and have been patient in their pursuit of Gvardiol. As a result, the club have sealed a deal for their top summer target.
What Can Gvardiol do?
The 21-year-old shows exemplary discipline for his age, he managed to not receive a single red card in the 2022/23 Bundesliga season. He reads the game well and has shown a willingness to put his body on the line to stop shots or dangerous passes. He will, however, need to reduce his tendency to rush towards the ball when facing counter-attacks, which has left his teammates outnumbered on a few occasions.
Like any City defender, the Croatian’s passing and on-ball skills will set him apart from other high-profile defenders. He boasted an 84% pass completion rate in the 2022/23 season and his ability to retain and progress the ball will be crucial to adjusting to the tactics of the treble-winning side.
He also shows exceptional passing across multiple ranges. His output of completed short, medium and long passes per 90 places him in the 90th, 99th and 95th percentile of defenders in Europe’s top 5 leagues, respectively. This ability should allow him to neatly progress the ball and play long-range switches to shift the tempo of Manchester City’s build-up. He is also an elite ball carrier, with an ability to take on players in tight spots, completing 82% of his take-ons in the 2022/23 season.
Gvardiol’s mixture of ball-playing skills and defensive attributes should help him fit into the Manchester City defence comfortably once he has adjusted to their tactical system.
Main image credit: Cleria De Souza, CC-BY-2.0
