Gvardiol to be Jos the job if Aym’s off
MANCHESTER CITY will turn to Croatia World Cup star Josko Gvardiol should they lose Aymeric Laporte this summer.
French giants Paris Saint-Germain are showing a strong interest in central defender Laporte, who has struggled as an automatic starter during his five years at The Etihad.
Which is why City would listen to offers north of £60million for the Spain international, 28, in the next window – and use that cash to fund their pursuit of RB Leipzig ace Gvardiol.
He scored for the Bundesliga outfit against City last month in a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Champions League clash.
Pep Guardiola was already a big admirer and the Blues boss now appears hellbent on joining the chase for one of Europe’s hottest properties.
Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Real Madrid are also in the hunt for Gvardiol, 21, with the big-spending Londoners at the head of that queue.
The Stamford Bridge outfit went close to signing him last summer in a £60m deal but eventually chose to move for other targets instead.
Whether a central defender will still be top of Chelsea’s transfer targets remains to be seen.
And if Graham Potter’s strugglers miss out on Champions League football next season, their chances of landing Gvardiol will be seriously damaged.
That could clear the way for City to pounce – and ex-Athletic Bilbao man Laporte, who was born in France, to head across the channel to PSG.
Gvardiol, capped 19 times by Croatia, actually signed a new deal with RB in December which runs until 2027 and includes a huge £97m release clause.
However, it is thought that clause does not kick-in until the start of 2024, making the need to land him this summer – for considerably less money – all the more pressing for the clutch of clubs wanting him on board.