Liverpool have reportedly made an offer to sign RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol ahead of Premier League rivals Manchester City.
Who is signing Josko Gvardiol?
The Reds and Jurgen Klopp have been relatively busy so far this summer in the transfer market, with a number of incomings and outgoings at Anfield, mainly in midfield.
Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have signed from Brighton and RB Leipzig respectively, whereas James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita all left on free transfers. Jordan Henderson has joined Steven Gerrard in Saudi Arabia, and Fabinho looks to follow suit.
Therefore, another midfielder appears to be on the Anfield radar, with Southampton’s Romeo Lavia seemingly a top target and James Pearce believes it is “increasingly likely that a compromise will be reached”.
However, alongside another midfielder, it appears as if a new centre-back could also be on the cards, with links to Torino’s Perr Schuurs and now Gvardiol emerging.
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Gvardiol has been heavily linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium this summer and Fabrizio Romano even said at one point earlier this month that a fee had been agreed between the two clubs and the player had even undergone a part of his medical.
However, a move is yet to be officially completed, with Liverpool, and by extension owners FSG, making a move of their own, aiming to hijack City’s deal. Paisley Gates relayed an update from Spain regarding Liverpool and Gvardiol, claiming the Reds are one of the sides looking to take advantage of the current impasse between Man City and Leipzig.
It is alleged that Liverpool have submitted a bid to sign Gvardiol, who is valued at around £86m. Fellow Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester United are also pressing to secure the player’s services, but it is City who are still in pole position.
Who is Josko Gvardiol?
Gvardiol is a left-footed defender who is primarily a centre-back but can also turn out as a left-back if required. The Croatia international came through the academy at Dinamo Zagreb and turned out for the first team on 52 occasions before joining RB Leipzig in 2021.
Since then, the 21-year-old has made 87 appearances for the Bundesliga side and has gone from strength to strength, with his Transfermarkt valuation rocketing from €16m to a career-high €75m in the space of two years.
Therefore, you could say that a move to Merseyside to play alongside Virgil van Dijk could be a brilliant move by the Reds and Klopp, with Gvardiol called "elite" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig. He has also had his eye on a move to Liverpool, previously revealing that it was his dream club, as per The Daily Mail.
“My dream club? That would definitely be Liverpool. Since I was little, I watched a lot of their matches with my dad.”
It looks as if a deal for the defender may well be one to keep an eye on, in what could be a busy August at Anfield both on and off the pitch.