Man City nearing historic €100M deal for RB Leipzig's Gvardiol
Manchester City will bolster their defense with the addition of Josko Gvardiol as the Premier League club nears a historic agreement to sign the Croatia international, RB Leipzig director Max Eberl revealed Sunday.
“Gvardiol and his agents gave us their desire to move to Manchester City. We are in talks with City (and) for €100 million plus bonuses, Gvardiol will end up in Pep (Guardiola’s) strong hands,” Eberl said, as translated by CBS Sports’ Ben Jacobs.
Gvardiol’s proposed move to the Etihad Stadium is expected to cost Manchester City more than €100 million (£86 million) when bonuses are factored in, making him the most expensive defender of all time.
The fee is projected to surpass the £80 million Manchester United paid to sign Harry Maguire from Leicester City in 2019.
Negotiations between the two clubs intensified in recent days after Manchester City reportedly reached an agreement with the center-back over a long-term contract last week.
He was a Dinamo Zagreb academy graduate before joining RB Leipzig in 2020.
Gvardiol’s stock skyrocketed during his second season in Germany and on the international stage. He was a breakout star at the 2022 World Cup, playing a central role in Croatia’s unexpected run to the semifinals in Qatar.
He’ll be the latest star to depart Leipzig this summer, following in the footsteps of midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, who joined Liverpool on Sunday in a move reportedly worth €70 million.
