FC Bayern have been linked with Josko Gvardiol for weeks and now Manchester City are apparently responding to the ongoing speculation by signing the Croatian international to a new long-term contract
Although Munich already have a top-class central defensive duo in Jonathan Tah and Dayot Upamecano, the rumors surrounding the signing of Josko Gvardiol continue. The 24-year-old has been regarded as one of the best defensive players in Europe for years and, with his versatility, fits perfectly into the requirements profile of the German record champions
According to BILD, Gvardiol is said to be open to a move to Munich and initial contacts have already been made between FC Bayern and the player’s entourage
Manchester City want to create facts
The developments surrounding the Croatian international are apparently also attracting attention in Manchester
As the Croatian newspaper Sportske Novosti reports, the Sky Blues are working flat out on an early contract extension. Although Gvardiol’s current contract runs until 2028, talks with his advisors are said to have recently intensified
According to the report, Manchester City fear that other key players could consider their future following the announced departure of Pep Guardiola. This is precisely the scenario that the English top club would like to prevent
At Säbener Straße, they are following developments closely
Gvardiol has been held in high regard internally for years. The defender was repeatedly linked with a move to FC Bayern during his time at RB Leipzig. His ability to play both in central defense and on the left side of defense makes him particularly interesting
Nevertheless, a transfer currently seems complicated
Financial hurdle remains enormous
The Croatian’s market value is currently estimated at around 70 million euros, but realistically, Manchester City’s actual transfer fee is likely to be even higher
For FC Bayern, such a deal would only be conceivable under certain conditions, with possible sales of Minjae Kim or Hiroki Ito in particular creating financial leeway
However, Munich’s current focus is on other areas of the squad, which is why a Gvardiol transfer next summer is considered attractive, but currently rather unlikely
In Manchester, meanwhile, they want to prevent Pep Guardiola’s imminent departure from triggering a chain reaction
Gvardiol is one of the most important building blocks in the Citizens‘ future plans, so the club is keen to create planning security at an early stage and nip the Bayern rumors in the bud with a contract extension
Nevertheless, the personnel issue remains exciting for FC Bayern. Should the situation in Manchester change in the coming months, Gvardiol could once again become a hot topic at Säbener Straße.