Transfer Centre

RB Leipzig 'reject £66.8m offer from Manchester City for Josko Gvardiol'

By Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter | 03 August 2022

Leipzig 'reject £66.8m offer from Man City for Josko Gvardiol'

Manchester City reportedly see an €80m (£66.8m) bid for 20-year-old defender Josko Gvardiol rejected by Bundesliga club RB Leipzig.

Manchester City have reportedly seen an €80m (£66.8m) bid for defender Josko Gvardiol rejected by RB Leipzig.

The 20-year-old enjoyed an impressive first season with the German club in 2021-22, making 45 appearances across all competitions as well as winning the DFB-Pokal.

Gvardiol has since attracted interest from the Premier League, with Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur all believed to be keeping tabs on the left-footed defender.

Recent reports have suggested that Chelsea are in talks with Leipzig over a potential swap deal involving Gvardiol and forward Timo Werner.

Meanwhile, Bild claims that the Bundesliga outfit have turned down an €80m (£66.8m) offer from Man City for the Croatia international.

Josko Gvardiol warms up for RB Leipzig in November 2021 © Reuters

The report adds that Leipzig have no interest in selling Gvardiol to City, Chelsea or any other club in this summer's transfer window.

Leipzig, who signed Gvardiol for around £17m in 2020, are under no pressure to sell the youngster, who still has four years remaining on his contract.

While Chelsea remain on the lookout for a new centre-back after missing out on Jules Kounde to Barcelona, it is thought that Man City are also keen to bolster their defensive options this summer.

The Citizens currently have four senior centre-back options in the form of Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, John Stones and Nathan Ake, but they are now light in the left-back department following Oleksandr Zinchenko's move to Arsenal.

City have been heavily linked with a move for Brighton & Hove Albion's Marc Cucurella throughout this summer, but they are unwilling to meet the Seagulls' £50m asking price – a valuation Chelsea, however, are allegedly willing to pay.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola pictured on July 23, 2022 © Reuters

Pep Guardiola's side now seem to have turned their attention to 6ft 1in defender Gvardiol, who can operate at both centre-back and left-back.

Gvardiol played seven times as a left-back for Leipzig last season, while all four of his appearances for Croatia at Euro 2020 saw him play on the left side of a back four.

City are also thought to be keeping a close eye on Stuttgart's Borna Sosa and Benfica's Alex Grimaldo, with the latter allegedly valued at only £6m as his contract is set to expire next summer.

Furthermore, the Premier League champions are reportedly in talks with Anderlecht to sign 21-year-old Sergio Gomez, although his potential arrival at the Etihad Stadium will have no bearing on their pursuit of a new first-team left-back.