Bumper update provides latest on RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol to Manchester City

Despite succumbing to an 8-1 aggregate mauling to Manchester City in the Champions League, Josko Gvardiol remains very much on the Etihad club’s transfer radar.

Etihad Stadium officials have had the opportunity to monitor the player in closer details over the past few weeks, with Manchester City taking on RB Leipzig across two matches in the Champions League last-16.

The first-leg in Germany was by far the more commendable in favour of Gvardiol however, as the exciting young centre-back beat Ruben Dias to a header and score a vital goal to take a 1-1 scoreline to the Etihad Stadium.

However, the outing in east Manchester this week was far less flattering, as Josko Gvardiol stood in the centre of a Leipzig defence that conceded seven goals to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, including five from Erling Haaland.

Nevertheless, it is highly unlikely that that performance alone will put off any potential suitors, including Manchester City – who could be in the market for a new central defender depending on circumstances involving their current defensive list.

According to a bumper update from The Athletic on the situation specifically involving the Croatian defender and the Premier League champions, it is stated that both Pep Guardiola and sporting director Txiki Begiristain are ‘fully signed-up members’ of the Josko Gvardiol ‘fan club’.

In an interesting detail, it is also highlighted that last summer – at a time when Nathan Ake was heavily linked with an exit for Chelsea – Manchester City made an ‘enquiry’ to RB Leipzig to ‘gauge the possibility’ of signing the Croatia international.

Unsurprisingly given the performances of Gvardiol since City’s last formal interest in the player, it is also claimed that Pep Guardiola and the 21 year-old centre-back have held ‘informal talks’.

While Manchester City are expected to be in the mix for the player when the transfer window reopens later this year, The Athletic clarify that the club are ‘conscious’ of their current central defensive roster containing: Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Aymeric Laporte, and Manuel Akanji.

Such is the level of interest in the player from almost all of Europe’s main players, RB Leipzig are not willing to let go of their star man for anything other than an outstanding price tag, with the Mail claiming that their asking price is expected to be around €130 million.

Manchester City would almost certainly have to sell in order to finance a move at such a price tag, as well as freeing up a space in their current central defensive union, and Aymeric Laporte is understood to be the most likely to leave the club this summer.

The Spain international has severely struggled for game time this season, and once again found himself on the bench against RB Leipzig this week, as Pep Guardiola continues to favour the likes fo Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji in the centre of his back-four.

Laporte may however be optimistic of returning to the City starting line-up this weekend, as Pep Guardiola and his players embark on an Emirates FA Cup quarter-final tie against runaway Championship leaders Burnley – managed by club legend, Vincent Kompany.