Barcelona will reportedly wage a battle with Chelsea and Manchester United to sign Josko Gvardiol from Bundesliga giants RB Leipzig.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Josko Gvardiol has no shortage of suitors for next year. Barcelona, Chelsea, and Manchester United are among the clubs keen on signing the Croatian defender from Bundesliga giants RB Leipzig. And the Catalan giants view him as the successor to Gerard Pique.
Josko Gvardiol has gone from strength to strength since joining RB Leipzig from Dinamo Zagreb in July 2021. The 20-year-old took some time to get going, but he has now established a foothold at the Red Bull Arena. At the same time, he will represent Croatia at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the coming month.
The young defender has made 65 appearances thus far for RB Leipzig, chipping in with three goals and four assists. But the Bundesliga giants are bracing themselves to lose Gvardiola next year after keeping hold of him this past summer. Barcelona, Chelsea, and Manchester United are three of his prospective suitors.
Barcelona saw Gerard Pique call time on his glittering career a few weeks ago. And the former Spanish international has left a huge void at Spotify Camp Nou for Barcelona. The Catalan giants thus need to find a long-term replacement for the 35-year-old, with Gvardiol emerging on their radar.
Meanwhile, Chelsea came close to securing the services of the 20-year-old in the summer transfer window, but a move did not materialise. The Blues remain keen on signing the Croat, with Kalidou Koulibaly blowing hot and cold this season. In addition, Thiago Silva is on his last legs as a professional footballer, making Gvardiola an attractive option.
As for Manchester United, the Red Devils might part ways with Harry Maguire. And the departure of the English international will force Manchester United to seek a replacement. Gvardiol, who can also play as a left-back, has thus emerged as a viable target for the Premier League heavyweights.
Recent reports have claimed that the Croatian international might prefer to join Chelsea. But with Barcelona also being in the equation, the race to sign Gvardiol should be intriguing. It will be interesting to see if his stint in the Bundesliga ends next summer.
