---
title: "Manchester City: Citizens hold conversations about Josko Gvardiol"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/man-city-josko-gvardiol-transfer-rumours/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dominic Lund"
section: "Follow up"
published: "2022-12-27T19:05:02Z"
modified: "2022-12-27T19:05:02Z"
---

# Manchester City: Citizens hold conversations about Josko Gvardiol

**[Manchester City](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-news/) have held conversations with RB Leipzig about signing Josko Gvardiol, according to Fabrizio Romano.**

### The Lowdown: Man City’s Gvardiol interest

[Foot Mercato](https://www.footmercato.net/a4669691094942186694-mercato-le-rb-leipzig-tient-deja-trois-offres-folles-pour-josko-gvardiol) claimed that the bidding had only just begun for the Croatian when the [Premier League](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league-news/) champions tabled an offer exceeding €100m (£85m) for him earlier this month, and the Sky Blues’ interest does not seem to have lessened.

The Daily Mirror recently reported ([via Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12040/12769036/manchester-city-willing-to-increase-their-offer-for-rb-leipzig-defender-josko-gvardiol-to-110million-paper-talk)) that [Pep Guardiola](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tag/pep-guardiola/) is willing to go as high as £110m to secure the centre-back’s signature , and now it appears as though the move is advancing to the next stage…

### The Latest: Romano’s update

Romano has said that both Manchester City and Real Madrid have had “conversations” about signing the defender, but added that a move might not be in the offing until the summer.

He told [GIVEMESPORT](https://www.givemesport.com/88096942-man-city-transfer-news-josko-gvardiol-pep-guardiola-etihad) in relation to Gvardiol: *“Manchester* *City and Real Madrid, they also had some conversations.* *My feeling is that Man City and Real Madrid are interested for next summer, so to prepare something for next summer.”*

\[freshpress-quiz id=”410621″\]

### The Verdict: Worth it?

One of the most important aspects of the Croatian’s well-rounded game is his ability to pick out a pass, with an average of [86.16](https://fbref.com/en/players/5ad50391/Josko-Gvardiol) per game per over the past year ranking him in the 99th percentile compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues.

As such, the 20-year-old would be able to seamlessly transition into Guardiola’s [style of play](https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwijq6HfiZr8AhWZR8AKHXKNDqoQFnoECCkQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goal.com%2Fen%2Fnews%2Ftactics-triangles-tika-taka-train-pep-guardiola%2Fblte5a49a426df9b105&usg=AOvVaw3seIFt2w9Odnta1vEkfr4W), while he also has the defensive qualities to go along with his passing range, averaging [1.82](https://fbref.com/en/players/5ad50391/Josko-Gvardiol) interceptions per game in the same period, placing him in the 83rd percentile among top-level centre-backs.

The youngster is certainly making a name for himself as a result of his recent displays, with journalist Ryan Taylor [lauding](https://twitter.com/RyanTaylorSport/status/1601269415047151616?s=20&t=lB69cPec90m3r7EfhLFK9Q) him as ‘[sublime](https://twitter.com/RyanTaylorSport/status/1601269415047151616?s=20&t=lB69cPec90m3r7EfhLFK9Q)‘.

However, the Sky Blues already have an [array of options](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/manchester-city/kadernachposition/verein/281) in central defence, with Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, John Stones and Aymeric Laporte all at Guardiola’s disposal, so it is questionable whether spending £110m on a new addition would be a prudent purchase.

Gvardiol is much younger than all the current options and could be the anchor of the City defence for more than a decade to come, but it is a transfer that the club must get right, given the amount of money which would be involved.