Fabrizio Romano and talkSPORT report that Manchester City is considering a deal to recruit RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol for a record fee this summer.
21-year-old Gvardiol joined Leipzig in 2020, and the German club is demanding a new record transfer fee for a central defender in order to release him. The previous record was established in 2019 when Manchester United paid approximately £80 million to Leicester City for Harry Maguire.
The Croatian international is purportedly a top transfer target of Man City manager Pep Guardiola, with whom the three-time champions have already held discussions. Gvardiol has scored three goals in 41 appearances for Leipzig this season, including a crucial equalizer in a 1-1 Champions League tie earlier this year.
ESPN reports that Guardiola is also interested in Chelsea and Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic.
Kovacic, 29, has been a key player since joining Chelsea permanently from Real Madrid in 2019, making 221 appearances in all competitions. However, with his contract set to expire in 2024 and new Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino seeking to rebuild the squad, the Blues are eager to offload him for approximately £35 million.
