In a recent report, Foot Mercato revealed that Manchester City have made a move to land Red Bull Leipzig ace Josko Gvardiol. It has been mentioned that the Mancunian club as well as Manchester United and Chelsea have all moved in for the Croatia international.
Gvardiol’s Impressive Form In German Football
Gvardiol is experiencing a decent campaign at the Red Bull Arena after he put in a run of impressive displays at the centre of Leipzig’s backline. The 20-year-old has been involved in 19 matches for the German club this season, finding the back of the net once across all competitions.
The talented centre-back has been a dominant presence at the back as he is averaging 0.6 interceptions, 1.5 clearances, 0.5 shots and 0.6 dribbles per game in the Bundesliga. Gvardiol has been an accurate distributor of the ball based on his pass completion rate of 89.1% in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at Leipzig will run out in the summer of 2027 which makes him an important asset for the German club. Thus, Man City will have to make a lucrative offer if they want to convince Leipzig to part ways with their prized asset.
What Will Gvardiol Add To Manchester City Boss Pep Guardiola’s Side?
Gvardiol can get stuck in with some solid tackles to secure the ball back for his team on the defensive end of the field. He doesn’t hesitate to put his foot through the ball when needed and usually takes care of possession when passing his way out from the back. The Croatia international can use his strong 1.85m frame to win some duels in the air.
Gvardiol is primarily a central defender but can also fill in as a left-back if his manager tells him to do so. He is currently having a successful 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament with Croatia in Qatar.
Gvardiol has got the potential to become a future star in European football. Therefore, Manchester City would be wise to engineer a move to bring him to the Etihad Stadium either in January or at the end of this season.
We can expect Gvardiol to add more bite and steel to Pep Guardiola’s defence and could help the Mancunian giants challenge for some major trophies over the next few years. Thus, Man City should consider going all out in the race to secure the services of the promising Croatia international next year.
