Last season, Gvardiol experienced a 7-0 defeat to Manchester City while playing with Leipzig at the Etihad Stadium in the Champions League.
Manchester City has sealed a deal to purchase Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig, with the agreed fee standing at 90m euros (£77m).
The 21-year-old’s transfer does not include any further add-ons, meaning the £80m record for a defender still belongs to Harry Maguire’s transfer from Leicester City to Manchester United in 2019.
Since his transfer from Dynamo Zagreb in 2021, Gvardiol has proven crucial for Leipzig, playing in 87 matches.
Gvardiol is anticipated to travel to England for a medical exam later in the week.
Last week, the possibility of this agreement seemed bleak when Leipzig insisted on a minimum sale price of €100m (£86m).
Manager Pep Guardiola has faith that Gvardiol will reinforce the left side of his central defence. Given that Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji, and Nathan Ake can also cover this position, Gvardiol’s arrival might put Aymeric Laporte’s future with Manchester City in question.
Gvardiol, who can also play as a left-back, is Manchester City’s second significant summer signing following Mateo Kovacic’s arrival from Chelsea in June for an initial £25m.
Kovacic is set to replace Ilkay Gundogan in City’s midfield, who moved to Barcelona on a free transfer. Meanwhile, winger Riyad Mahrez transferred to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia last week for a £30m deal.
Having netted twice in his 21 appearances for Croatia, Gvardiol helped his nation secure third place at the 2022 World Cup and runner-up position in this year’s Nations League against Spain.
Before transitioning to the Bundesliga, he won consecutive titles with Zagreb, including a league and cup double.
During Gvardiol’s tenure in Germany, Leipzig qualified for the Champions League twice, thanks to their third and fourth-place finishes in the Bundesliga.
The team that just sold him was eliminated from the Champions League twice in the past two seasons by the team he is now joining.
Leipzig secured third place in a group dominated by City in 2021-22 and suffered an 8-1 aggregate defeat in the round of 16 last season, which included a 7-0 defeat at the Etihad.
Analysis – Laporte’s Departure Likely Following Signing
The deal presents an intriguing development.
City is bringing on board one of Europe’s most promising young defenders.
Internally, the team is thrilled he came at a lower price than Harry Maguire and, from their perspective, Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk when taking into account varying exchange rates and inflation.
While they declined to meet RB Leipzig’s 100m euros asking price, they did satisfy the German club’s requirement for an early settlement of the deal.
Laporte’s departure is likely to be set in motion by this transfer.
However, the key point of interest will be if a high-value transfer like this one, similar to the transfers of Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips in recent seasons, leads to an unexpected amount of bench-warming.
After all, City already boasts quality central defenders who are well-versed in Pep Guardiola’s inverted full-back strategy.
This decision undeniably conveys that the Treble winners are not resting on their laurels.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Josko Gvardiol transfer
Who is Josko Gvardiol moving to play for?
Josko Gvardiol is transferring to play for Manchester City from RB Leipzig.
How much is Manchester City paying for Gvardiol’s transfer?
Manchester City is paying a fee of 90 million euros (£77 million) for Josko Gvardiol’s transfer.
What position does Gvardiol play?
Josko Gvardiol is a defender who strengthens the left side of central defence and can also play as a left-back.
Is Gvardiol’s transfer a record-breaking fee for a defender?
No, the record still belongs to the £80 million transfer of Harry Maguire from Leicester City to Manchester United in 2019 as Gvardiol’s deal does not include any further add-ons.
Who might be affected by Gvardiol’s arrival at Manchester City?
Aymeric Laporte’s future at Manchester City may be in question with the arrival of Gvardiol.
What was Gvardiol’s previous team and how did he perform there?
Gvardiol’s previous team was RB Leipzig, and he was a key player for them, playing in 87 games since his signing from Dynamo Zagreb in 2021.
What are some of Gvardiol’s notable achievements?
Gvardiol has had a successful career, winning back-to-back titles with Zagreb and helping Croatia secure third place at the 2022 World Cup and runner-up position in this year’s Nations League against Spain.
More about Josko Gvardiol transfer
- Josko Gvardiol’s profile
- Manchester City’s official news
- RB Leipzig’s official news
- More about the transfer market
- Harry Maguire’s record transfer
- Aymeric Laporte’s profile
6 comments
Josko Gvardiol, one of Europe’s top young defenders, joining the citizens! Exciting times ahead folks!
city just buying the league smh…
Sad to see Gvardiol leave the Bundesliga but he’s gonna do wonders for City, mark my words.
Cant believe city bagged Gvardiol for just £77m! Looks like Maguire’s record is safe for now. lol
Pumped to see Gvardiol in action! But Laporte’s situation kinda worrisome.
Can’t wait for the lad to arrive! and partnering with Dias at the back, sounds promising!