Manchester City step up talks to sign RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol

The Bundesliga club are demanding at least £86 million

Josko Gvardiol is wanted by Manchester City, but RB Leipzig are asking for more than €100 million (£86 million) for the centre-back.

Although it is known that the player is amenable to the transfer and that personal arrangements have been established, the transfer of money may prove to be a challenge. The Croat would become the most expensive central defender ever for a fee of at least €100 million.

RB Leipzig are keen to retain the 21-year-old player and are not under any obligation to sell one of their key players due to Gvardiol's recent signing of a new contract through 2027.

Last summer, the player was linked with a switch to Chelsea. Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli and Wesley Fofana from Leicester were instead acquired by the London club.

Josko Gvardiol made international headlines throughout the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the previous year, but he is aware that they will let him depart if the offer is too good to refuse. As a young player, he played for Dinamo Zagreb before joining Leipzig in 2020.

He currently holds 21 Croatian caps, and his versatility as a left-back gives him an added edge. The player is greatly admired by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who has named him one of his top priorities for this summer.

If Gvardiol decides to move to City, he will be joining an extensive group of central defenders who already play for the team, including John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, Nathan Aké, and others. Guardiola is increasingly interested in using these players as fullbacks as well.

Additionally, according to the article, Leipzig are lined up as an alternative for Gvardiol and are preparing to make a bid for Lyon's 20-year-old centre-back Castello Lukeba.

The defensive specialist has a €110 million (£94 million or $120 million) release clause that goes into effect next summer, but City are eager to buy him during this transfer window.

To attempt to negotiate a settlement, city officials will shortly start talking to their Leipzig colleagues. The German club has set Gvardiol's asking price at a stunning €100,000,000 (£86,000,000), as they would dearly love to keep him for another season.

In order to get Gvardiol to England, City will need to pay him the highest transfer fee ever. Harry Maguire, who bought City's opponents Manchester United a staggering £80 million in 2019, currently holds the record.