ESPN sources report that Manchester City has agreed with RB Leipzig to acquire defender Josko Gvardiol. The Premier League champions will pay a fee of €90 million ($98 million), and the contract contains no add-ons.
Gvardiol, age 21, is scheduled to endure a medical examination and depart for England shortly.
It is unlikely that he will make his debut in Sunday’s Community Shield match against Arsenal at Wembley, but he should be available for City’s league opener against Burnley on August 11 at Turf Moor.
Leipzig’s initial valuation of Gvardiol at €100 million halted negotiations earlier this summer.
City’s negotiated fee is less than the £80 million Manchester United paid Leicester City for Harry Maguire in 2019. Leipzig’s valuation would have made Gvardiol the most expensive defender in the world.
Gvardiol will become Pep Guardiola’s second summer addition, following Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic.
Ilkay Gündogan and Riyad Mahrez have both departed the club, and Bernardo Silva, Kyle Walker, Kalvin Phillips, and Aymeric Laporte are potential replacements.
