Josko Gvardiol set to become most expensive defender in history with an estimated fee of £90m

The Croatian defender is set to join Manchester City

Josko Gvardiol is set to join Manchester City. The 21-year-old Croatian defender is leaving RB Leipzig after a 3-year stint in the Bundesliga.

The Croatian defender made 59 appearances for Leipzig in which he scored 3 goals. He garnered attention for his solidity and flexibility at the back of the pitch, where he could play both as a centre back and as well as a left back.

Gvardiol is Man City’s second summer signing after fellow Croatian defender Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea. After a historic treble winning season, Pep Guardiola’s side are looking to strengthen their defensive line. Their interest in defenders come at a time when players like Riyad Mahrez and Kyle Walker are set to leave. With Mahrez set to join Saudi club Al Ahli for a reported fee of €35 million, and Walker expressing his desire to play for Bayern München.

Gvardiol’s contract at RB Leipzig does not expire till 2027, this makes their case in the negotiations stronger, with Leipzig demanding a transfer fee reportedly around €100 million. However, with Gvardiol agreeing on personal terms with Man City around a month ago, it is likely that the deal will go through on its current terms.

This means that Josko Gvardiol is set to become the most expensive defender in history. He overtakes Harry Maguire’s transfer worth €87m from Leicester City to Manchester United in 2019. After a successful start at Old Trafford, Maguire was weighed down by his transfer fee. It will be interesting to see how the huge price tag on the Croatian affects his performance at the Etihad.

Josko Gvardiol is looked as an investment for the future, with him just being 21 years old, Pep Guardiola will be hoping to keep the defender’s services for a long time. This is part of the reason why the Cityzens are ready to spend a fortune to acquire the Croatian.