Chelsea are in constant dialogue with Josko Gvardiol’s camp, although it will take a mammoth bid to tempt RB Leipzig to sell.
According to Give Me Sport, Chelsea is considered the frontrunner for Josko Gvardiol. The Premier League side are in constant dialogue with the 20-year-old’s camp over a January move, but it will take a mammoth bid to tempt RB Leipzig to sell.
Josko Gvardiol put himself on the radar of big clubs around the continent after some terrific displays for Croatia at the World Cup. He helped his country to the tournament’s semifinals only to lose out against eventual champions Argentina.
Even before the Qatar showdown, Gvardiol featured heavily on the list of many top clubs, including Real Madrid and Chelsea. The Premier League giants were also keen to sign him during the summer after they concluded a move for Wesley Fofana.
While their efforts proved fruitless, Chelsea are considered the frontrunners for the 20-year-old’s signature. The report suggests the London side are in constant dialogue with Gvardiol’s camp and could push for a move in the January window.
Gvardiol has a release clause of £97 million, which activates in the summer of 2024. Chelsea are now sensing an opportunity and are ready to pay a good price to take the defender to Stamford Bridge. They plot similar measures taken to agree on a deal for his teammate Christopher Nkunku.
Leipzig, however, remains adamant the defender is not for sale, although reliable sources believe a bid worth £88 million would suffice. That’s a huge amount for a 20-year-old defender only beginning to show his prowess at the top level.
Similar reports suggested that Leipzig could up their asking price to €100 million, and only then would they consider selling Gvardiol in January.
At that price, Gvardiol would become the most expensive central defender in club football history. While he has proved his worth with tremendous displays at the World Cup, many clubs would scramble for his signature. For now, Chelsea are considered the clear favourite if the 20-year-old is up for sale.
