Josko Gvardiol: Manchester City agree £77m fee with RB Leipzig for defender - BBC Sport
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Josko Gvardiol: Manchester City agree £77m fee with RB Leipzig for defender

By Simon StoneBBC Sport

Last updated on .From the section Man Citycomments2037

Josko Gvardiol chases Erling Haaland as Leipzig lose 7-0 at Etihad Stadium in last season's Champions League
Gvardiol was part of the Leipzig side that lost 7-0 at Etihad Stadium in last season's Champions League

Manchester City have agreed a 90m euro fee (£77m) with RB Leipzig for Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol.

The deal for the 21-year-old does not include add-ons, meaning the £80m Manchester United paid Leicester City for Harry Maguire in 2019 remains the British record for a defender.

He has been a key player for Leipzig in the 87 games he played for them since signing from Dynamo Zagreb in 2021.

It is expected Gvardiol will fly to England for a medical later this week

The deal looked unlikely to be agreed last week when Leipzig insisted they would not sell for less than €100m (£86m).

Manager Pep Guardiola believes Gvardiol will strengthen the left side of his central defence and, with Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake also able to fill that position, his arrival may put the future of Aymeric Laporte at Etihad Stadium under the microscope.

Gvardiol, who is also able to play left-back, becomes City's second major signing of the summer following the arrival of fellow Croatian Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea in June for an initial £25m.

Kovacic will effectively replace Ilkay Gundogan in City's midfield after last season's captain joined Barcelona on a free transfer, while winger Riyad Mahrez moved to Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli last week in a £30m deal.

Gvardiol, who has scored twice in his 21 caps for Croatia, helped his country finish third at the 2022 World Cup as well as runners-up to Spain in this year's Nations League.

He won back-to-back titles with Zagreb, signing off with a league and cup double before making his move to the Bundesliga.

Leipzig also twice qualified for the Champions League during Gvardiol's time in Germany as a result of their fourth and third-placed finishes in the Bundesliga.

The club that has sold him were effectively knocked out of the Champions League twice in the past two seasons by the club he has now joined.

Leipzig finished third in a group topped by City in 2021-22 and lost 8-1 over two legs in the round of 16 last season, including a 7-0 defeat at the Etihad.

Analysis - Signing will trigger Laporte exit

This is a fascinating deal.

City are signing one of the most highly rated young defenders in Europe.

They are privately delighted he has ended up costing less than Harry Maguire and - in their eyes - Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk given different exchange rates and inflation.

They wouldn't pay the 100m euros RB Leipzig wanted but they have met the Bundesliga club's demand to get the deal done early.

The move will trigger the exit of Aymeric Laporte.

But the interesting thing will be - like Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips in the previous two seasons - will a big-money move be followed by an unexpected amount of time on the bench?

After all, City have excellent central defenders already who are used to Pep Guardiola's inverted full-back strategy.

It certainly sends a signal the Treble winners are not resting on past glories.

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2037 comments

  • Comment posted by PineappleOnPizza, at 15:32 2 Aug 2023

    Very good signing. As a Utd fan, I'm quite envious, considering for roughly the same price we got an average defender who I won't mention his name instead :(

    • Reply posted by BBC, at 15:41 2 Aug 2023

      BBC replied:
      Competition is what The Premier League is all about.

      Time for United to catch up with their neighbours...

  • Comment posted by Graham Grangot, at 15:35 2 Aug 2023

    Not a mcfc fan but they're doing the right thing strengthening whilst on top. The numbers are basically irrelevant nowadays. Good signing.

    • Reply posted by abracadabra, at 16:08 2 Aug 2023

      abracadabra replied:
      Tbh more strengthening is needed if the rumours around Silva, Walker, Laporte turn out to be true.

      KDB not a young boy any more, Gundogan n Mahrez replaced by a different type of player. Injuries could really damage the season.

  • Comment posted by Upton Sinclair, at 20:26 2 Aug 2023

    City are competing unfairly by buying great players, coaching them to be better, and producing outstanding talent within their Academy.

    • Reply posted by TYPICAL CITY-WINNERS, at 20:29 2 Aug 2023

      TYPICAL CITY-WINNERS replied:
      I agree that’s not fair….😂💙🏆🏆🏆

  • Comment posted by eddie-g, at 15:36 2 Aug 2023

    unlike certain other teams, when city opens their wallet you dont question if they are buying a good player.

    clear league favorites again this season

    • Reply posted by philip edwards, at 16:08 2 Aug 2023

      philip edwards replied:
      Apart from5 goals a season Grealish! City fans and other fans let him off because 'Oh he's a nice lad, bit of a jack the lad, a character etc. And Zaha, whose twice the player, has gone to Turkey!!

  • Comment posted by frankie, at 17:01 2 Aug 2023

    Wakey wakey George , City have just received £280 million in prize money last season , they sold Jesus , zinchenko sterling Mahrez for near on 150 million and the academy produced players have now brought in close to £300 million so the actual reality is u must have put ur trousers on the wrong end old son cos ur talking completely out of ur hat

    • Reply posted by BerylFlyingDragon, at 17:33 2 Aug 2023

      BerylFlyingDragon replied:
      True. Now how much revenue were they generating before all of their success and they were buying Aguero etc? It's built of falsehoods and fake/inflated revenue generation from sovereign wealth fund contracts.

  • Comment posted by Darth, at 15:32 2 Aug 2023

    Great signing for City. Yes they're under investigation, but you can't deny their recruitment team seem second to none.

    • Reply posted by JuliusCaesarWasASocialist, at 15:40 2 Aug 2023

      JuliusCaesarWasASocialist replied:
      The bean counters, lawyers, legal specialists and loophole hunters are the highest performing people at the club. The recruitment team can't do their job without those. They're like the Makelele to the recruitment teams Zidane

  • Comment posted by MikeLogic, at 15:34 2 Aug 2023

    Ederson is going to have an easy year

    • Reply posted by olfool, at 15:44 2 Aug 2023

      olfool replied:
      He deserves it after his heroics against Inter

  • Comment posted by ler, at 15:34 2 Aug 2023

    Player has talent, should progress, yes fee is huge but that is how the transfer market is. As for the criticism that Messi made him look bad in the World Cup, that just puts him on a long list of players that Messi has beaten in his great career. No shame in that.

    • Reply posted by Fr, at 16:15 2 Aug 2023

      Fr replied:
      cheaper than van dijik & 2x the player 🤷

  • Comment posted by PVFCDave83, at 16:16 2 Aug 2023

    I always thought City were the proper Manchester team, aren't United fans from down south?

    • Reply posted by George Williams, at 16:40 2 Aug 2023

      George Williams replied:
      City a well 'oil'ed machine..

  • Comment posted by Chesse, at 15:31 2 Aug 2023

    Finally, City spending some money. It's been pretty slim pickings for the past few seasons.

    • Reply posted by xx, at 15:37 2 Aug 2023

      xx replied:
      we not counting the 100m on grelish?

  • Comment posted by Gorton is Back, at 15:35 2 Aug 2023

    Another really good signing for City, would have loved to see him come to Liverpool, unfortunately FSG are to busy arguing with Southampton over an additional £10m for Lavia

    • Reply posted by ThePurist, at 15:42 2 Aug 2023

      ThePurist replied:
      Trouble is Southampton have to pay that extra 10m to City due to sell on clause.

  • Comment posted by Pleasing Ton , at 15:30 2 Aug 2023

    Strengthening whilst on top !

    • Reply posted by George Williams, at 15:46 2 Aug 2023

      George Williams replied:
      Buying the League again:

      Top 5 most expensive City transfers:

      5) Joao Cancelo - £58.5m
      4) Riyad Mahrez - £61m
      3) Ruben Dias - £61m
      2) Kevin De Bruyne - £68m
      1) Jack Grealish - £100m

      FFP is joke.. the books don’t balance, so City will happily pay the fine..

  • Comment posted by huddy69, at 15:34 2 Aug 2023

    Pep needed a new challenge - maybe he’s going to try to win the league with 1 Keeper, 9 Centre Backs and 1Haaland?

    • Reply posted by WilyOldFox, at 16:01 2 Aug 2023

      WilyOldFox replied:
      A new chequebook you mean..................

  • Comment posted by Kevin, at 15:31 2 Aug 2023

    Great signing for the long term - he is a top quality player and solid choice for years to come.

    • Reply posted by ajackson, at 16:34 2 Aug 2023

      ajackson replied:
      A great use of all that Champions League prize money

  • Comment posted by NedTheGooner, at 17:18 2 Aug 2023

    One of the absolute stand out players from the World Cup, looks the real deal. Typical Citey player, good on the ball, good signing, probably not good news for us!

    • Reply posted by gasman1003, at 20:43 2 Aug 2023

      gasman1003 replied:
      Typical City player, does he dive all the time and commit cynical fouls?

  • Comment posted by Big Sky Country, at 20:17 2 Aug 2023

    This is just another reason Manchester City are far and away the best club in the Premier League, and no I am not a fan. However, it has to be acknowledged their transfer targets/signings are way better and far more targeted than other teams. No disrespect to either Mason Mount of Manchester United but it is the best example of how much better Manchester City are in the transfer market.

    • Reply posted by Batuto, at 20:31 2 Aug 2023

      Batuto replied:
      Well , I think Liverpool might be quite happy that they purchased the second brightest spark of the world cup and a world cup winner for 35 million (less than half a Gvardedaa) . That's good business

  • Comment posted by Conan55, at 16:31 2 Aug 2023

    As a United fan, this is such a depressing news to hear. This is smart recruitment. He’s a very good player. Other teams in the league should be worried. We have a fridge who cost us 80 million pounds and he’s 5th choice CB. We needed Gvardiol.

    • Reply posted by Dave Angels Moonlight Shadow, at 16:39 2 Aug 2023

      Dave Angels Moonlight Shadow replied:
      don't whinge. Utd are in a much better position than last season in terms of the squad. City have bought "the best defender in the world ever" (god they are starting to sound like Liverpool fans aren't they?) Except last week they'd have told you that Akanji and Ake were the best defenders in the league anyway, so what's new?!

  • Comment posted by gedmc, at 19:50 2 Aug 2023

    At least that's some good news for United fans that the £80m Manchester United paid Leicester City for Harry Maguire is still a record.

    • Reply posted by Jockney, at 11:01 3 Aug 2023

      Jockney replied:
      Cruel, but also very good 🤣

  • Comment posted by tashyboy, at 16:42 2 Aug 2023

    At last a HYS that’s not about Utd.

    • Reply posted by Dave Angels Moonlight Shadow, at 16:50 2 Aug 2023

      Dave Angels Moonlight Shadow replied:
      and yet you're desperate to make it about United. see, this is why the Beeb do it. you closet united fans can't help yourself. just come out and be proud. support the team you really love

  • Comment posted by t6tw4fhi, at 20:11 2 Aug 2023

    Sad comments when your team is not doing well slag off the opposition
    Get your team to try harder CTY are the benchmark not UTD LOL.

    • Reply posted by D1702334860079, at 20:14 2 Aug 2023

      D1702334860079 replied:
      CITY are like a car using premium unleaded oil, when everyone else is using natural gas and going the rules of the league.

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