admin Manchester City’s acquisition of a “sensational” £85m star would be a “frightening signing” at the Etihad Stadium.
Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor has said that the possibility of Manchester City signing RB Leipzig midfielder Josko Gvardiol at the Etihad Stadium would be “scary”.
Pep Guardiola is looking to sign the defender, aiming to bolster his options across the Sky Blues’ backline.
Man City transfer news – Josko Gvardiol
According to The Sun, Gvardiol has told Leipzig officials that he wants to leave to join Manchester City, in what could be a massive boost to Guardiola’s chances of landing the centre-back this summer.
The same publication says that the Bundesliga outfit will let the 21-year-old leave if they receive a bid of £78m plus bonuses which could take the deal to £85m.
Meanwhile, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed this week that Gvardiol has 100% agreed on personal terms and that talks will enter into an advanced stage soon.
That comes after the Italian journalist recently said that negotiations to bring the Leipzig midfielder to the Etihad were progressing “very well”.
And Taylor believes that Gvardiol would fit perfectly into Guardiola’s usage of a back three system, which the Catalan deployed towards the back end of last season.
What has Taylor said about Gvardiol and Man City?
Taylor talk: “I think the key point to mention is the back three and the change of shape that Guardiola has evolved to.
“But if you add his passing ability and quality on the ball, I think he would be a frightening signing for City.”
Would Gvardiol be a good signing for Man City?
Gvardiol, described as “sensational” by journalist Zach Lowy last season, would be an excellent signing for Guardiola and could be a long-term option in City’s backline.
The 21-cap Croatia international made 43 appearances for Leipzig last term, hitting the back of the net three times, helping secure a third-place finish in the Bundesliga for the German outfit.
And the 6 foot 1 star compares favourably with his positional peers, ranking in the top 1% of centre-backs across Europe’s big five leagues as well as the Champions League and Europa League for passes attempted (87.18) per 90 minutes over the last 365 days, according to FBref.
On paper, it looks as though Gvardiol could be a stunning signing for City, as Guardiola looks ahead to the unenviable task of following up the club’s exceptional treble-winning campaign last time out.
