Manchester City agree deal to buy Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig
Manchester City have agreed a fee to buy Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig. The defender is understood to have completed the first part of his medical on Wednesday and the deal is on the cusp of being signed.
The 21-year-old Croatia international, a centre-half who can also play at left-back, agreed personal terms with City a month ago. He has a contract at Leipzig to 2027, strengthening the German club’s hand in negotiations and they have been have demanding at least €100m (£86.7m).
Gvardiol is set to become City’s second summer signing after the midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who joined from Chelsea. Riyad Mahrez is close to leaving City for the Saudi Arabian club AlAhli for £30m.
Gvardiol, who came through the ranks at Dinamo Zagreb and has been at Leipzig for two seasons, joins a long list of central defenders at City. Manuel Akanji, Rúben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, Nathan Aké and John Stones play there, although Pep Guardiola has used centre-halves at full-back and Stones has also been deployed in midfield.
The transfer activity on Wednesday continued the manager’s squad adjustments after winning the treble. The midfielder Ilkay Gündogan left for Barcelona last month on a free and Mahrez’s impending departure removes another player who has been part of the club’s success over several seasons. He has won four Premier League titles, the Champions League and two FA Cups at City.
The former City defender Benjamin Mendy, who was released last month, has signed for the French top-division club Lorient five days after he was found not guilty of raping one woman and attempting to rape another.