Transfer Talk: Man City move to get the Gvardi started

Manchester City are reportedly in advanced talks to sign Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig.

The Croatian defender, 21, has been linked with a number of top clubs due to his mature displays at both club and international level.

But it looks like City will win the race for his coveted signature and are set to pay around £86million — a world-record transfer fee for a defender.

Ahead of the proposed move, we shine the spotlight on Gvardiol and take a look at what he could bring to Pep Guardiola's Treble-winning side.

Perfect for Pep

As defenders go, few on paper are more suited to Guardiola's style of play than the Zagreb native.

Like one of City's key players Nathan Ake, the 21-cap international is a left-sided centre-back who is capable of operating at left-back — and excels with the ball.

At Leipzig last season, Gvardiol regularly started attacks from deep and showcased his ability to beat an opponent by completing 16 of 18 attempted take-ons.

The colossal No20 also ranked sixth overall in the Bundesliga for passes completed (1,909) and ninth for touches (2,422).

Perhaps the only issue in Gvardiol's game is his slight tendency to give the ball away.

His 89.29% passing accuracy recorded in 2022-23 is lower than any City defender who played 500 or more Premier League minutes — bar likely departure Joao Cancelo.

Nevertheless, it is still evident that the Croatian has all the tools and experience necessary to slot seamlessly into the Catalan mastermind's possession-based system at the Etihad.

Defensive warrior

On top of offering superb ball-playing ability, Gvardiol would perhaps take City to an even higher level from a defensive standpoint.

The ex-Dinamo Zagreb star completed more interceptions and clearances last term than each of Ake, Manuel Akanji, John Stones and Ruben Dias — currently Guardiola's first-choice back four.

He also topped the Citizens quartet for possessions won in both the defensive and middle third.

And only Dias won more aerial duels than the Croatian, who scored with his head against City for Leipzig in their 1-1 draw at the Red Bull Arena on February 22.

The best

Gvardiol's defensive skills and commanding presence at the 2022 World Cup led to some enormous praise from Vaterni manager Zlatko Dalic.

After the 0-0 group stage draw with Belgium, during which the defender made a heroic block to deny Romelu Lukaku, the head coach said: "Gvardiol is the best centre-back in the world.

"To play this maturely, it's amazing. The way he plays, with what elegance he carries the ball."

Gvardiol helped Croatia win the bronze medal in Qatar, with his goal against Morocco in the third place play-off seeing him become the youngest player to score for the European nation at a major tournament.

Familiar surroundings

If Gvardiol does indeed swap Leipzig for Manchester this summer, the deal will be sweetened by the fact he would get to link up with compatriot Mateo Kovacic.

The Austria-born maestro, 29, completed a move to the Etihad from Chelsea last week.

With Kovacic traditionally deployed as a left-sided central midfielder, there is potential for a very exciting Croatian influence at the heart of Guardiola's side next season.