In a recent report, Alfredo Pedulla revealed that Chelsea are working hard to sign Red Bull Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol. It is understood that the Blues are planning to go all out in pursuit of the Croatia international next year.
Gvardiol’s Impressive Rise In German Football This Season
Gvardiol is enjoying an impressive campaign at the Red Bull Arena as he has managed to put in a run of dominant performances for Leipzig on the defensive third of the pitch. The talented youngster has taken part in 19 matches for the German club this season, finding the back of the net once in all competitions.
The Croat sensation deserves a lot of credit for averaging 0.6 interceptions, 1.5 clearances and 0.6 dribbles per 90 minutes in Bundesliga. He has even been an accurate distributor of the ball after completing 89.1% of his attempted passes in the top tier of German football (stats via whoscored).
The 20-year-old’s current contract with Leipzig is set to run in the summer of 2027. Therefore, Chelsea will have to make a big offer if they are serious about bringing Gvardiol on board next year.
What Will Gvardiol Bring To Chelsea?
Gvardiol is usually quick to spot the danger and can make a few timely interceptions for his team on the defensive end of the field. He doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when required and excels at playing his way out from the back. Standing at 1.85m, Gvardiol is a strong presence in the air and mainly operates as a central defender but is versatile enough to fill in as a left-back if asked to do so.
At the moment, the Croatia international is still finding his feet at the highest level. However, there is no doubt that he has the potential to become a future star in European football. Even then, the youngster might struggle to adapt to the physicality and high intensity of English football.
We can expect Gvardiol to bring a lot of bite and steel to Graham Potter‘s defensive department at Stamford Bridge. He could even serve as a perfect long-term replacement for Thiago Silva at the West London club. Thus, it makes sense for the Blues to try everything they can to lure Gvardiol to the English capital this January or at the end of this season. All in all, he will be a good, long-term signing for Chelsea to focus on in 2023.
