Manchester City have signed defender, Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig for £77.5m.
Gvardiol’s move to Man City comes after he was previously the subject of a failed transfer attempt by Chelsea last summer, which has led Man City to now swoop for the 21 year-old following weeks of negotiations with RB Leipzig over the 21 year-old defender.
Gvardiol consequently has left RB Leipzig having scored five goals in 88 appearances for the Bundesliga club.
Man City reportedly will pay RB Leipzig an estimated £77.5m which would make Gvardiol the world’s most expensive defensive transfer, during which he will join his fellow Croatian, Mateo Kovacic who joined the Cityzens from Chelsea last month.
Gvardiol has signed a five-year contract until June 2028 with City holding an option on further extending his contract by an additional 12 months.
Speaking about his decision to join City and play under Pep Guardiola. Gvardiol commented: “I have always dreamed of one day playing in England and to be doing so now with Manchester City – after the season they have just had – is a real honour for me.
“Anyone who saw Manchester City play last season knows they are the best team in the world. To win the Treble says everything you need to know about the quality this team has.
“To be joining City is something very special for me and my family.
“To have the chance to work with Pep Guardiola, too, will be amazing. I know I am not yet the finished article and I am sure my game will progress under the best coach in football.”
Gvardiol is the second Croatian to join City this summer after Mateo Kovacic and the defender can’t wait to play alongside his Croatia teammate at club level, which he described as a “special” feeling.
The 21 year-old also praised Kovacic as he added: “He’s a top footballer and I hope we can both help City achieve another successful season in 2023/24 and then beyond.”
Man City’s Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain added that the club “are very happy” to finally sign Gvardiol, having monitored him and his “superb set of attributes” and skills “closely” across the last year and fought off fierce competition to sign him.
On what fans can expect from Gvardiol, Begiristain teased: “Josko has so many qualities – everything you want in a centre-half.
“He is fast, competitive, combative, strong in the air, impressive in possession of the ball, with strong self-belief and a good character. He is left-footed, too, which offers us good options at the back.”
During his time at Leipzig, Gvardiol helped the team to consecutive DFB-Pokal titles in the last two seasons with victories over SC Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt in respective finals.
Gvardiol also represents Croatia internationally during which he has scored two goals in 21 senior caps, of which his most recent international goal came in Croatia’s triumphant Third-Place play-off against Morocco in 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Gvardiol could make his competitive debut for Man City away to Burnley on Friday 11 August in a 8pm BST kick-off at Turf Moor, live on Sky Sports.
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