Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid are all “ready to rival” Chelsea for RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, according to the Evening Standard‘s Nizaar Kinsella.
The journalist believes that Pep Guardiola’s team will be in the mix if and when the Croatian (who has 16 caps for his country) leaves Germany:
Josko Gvardiol’s starring role in Croatia’s World Cup run has alerted multiple clubs to a potential transfer.
Chelsea are now set to face competition from Man City, Barcelona and Real Madrid for their long-term target.
— Standard Sport (@standardsport) December 6, 2022
Gvardiol has been linked with a move to the Etihad in the past so it’s not too surprising that the Premier League champions have retained an interest in the centre-back.
The 20-year-old has had a strong World Cup so far and many pundits believe he is one of the most exciting young talents in world football.
However, it is hard to tell where Gvardiol would fit into City’s team. He is left-footed so he would be in direct competition with Nathan Ake and Aymeric Laporte for a place in the starting lineup. It’s likely one of those two players would have to leave to accommodate the Croatian international.