Manchester City in advanced talks to sign Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol

Manchester City have their sights on RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol as they are on the verge of agreeing personal terms ahead of a potential summer move, reports Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Gvardiol has been on the watchlist of several European giants after enjoying a meteoric rise to be regarded as one of the best young defenders in Europe.

The 21-year-old has enjoyed a stellar season, helping Leipzig finish inside the Champions League places and win the DFB Pokal Cup for the second consecutive season.

Gvardiol gained wider prominence following a magnificent World Cup 2022 campaign, helping Croatia secure third place and was also arguably one of the best players of the tournament.

The former Dinamo Zagreb star has been cited as the next big thing to emerge from the Bundesliga, following in the footsteps of Erling Braut Haaland and Jude Bellingham.

Man City have seemingly jumped the queue for Gvardiol – as was the case with Haaland last summer – ahead of clubs like Liverpool, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

However, Romano adds that a deal is far from being done, and Leipzig will only allow Gvardiol for a higher fee or else they are ready to keep him for another season.

A fee of around £75 million has been mooted, and City are said to be ready to break the banks for his signature.

Gvardiol could be a replacement for Aymeric Laporte, who has been heavily speculated to leave the Etihad Stadium this summer.

The Sky Blues already boast one of the fiercest defensive line-ups in Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji. Adding Gvardiol to it would make the treble winners an almost unstoppable force.

Man City are also working on a deal to sign Gvardiol’s compatriot Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea.

Personal terms have been agreed, and the Croatian midfielder’s move to the Etihad looks imminent.