Across a muted summer transfer window for English hegemon Manchester City, Pep Guardiola can finally welcome another new vital cog in the wheel at the Etihad Stadium after City officially sealed a deal for RB Leipzig star center-back Joško Gvardiol.
Per football insider Fabrizio Romano, official documents have been signed between the two clubs in the wake of reports earlier this morning that confirmed an agreement over a £78m purchase, with Gvardiol having already agreed to contractual terms back in June.
Manchester City and Leipzig have just signed documents — Joško Gvardiol can be considered new City player! 🚨🔵🇭🇷
€90m final fixed fee — no add-ons.
Long term deal agreed already in June.Joško will travel to Manchester tonight, medical on Friday.
Here we go, confirmed ✔️ pic.twitter.com/WF5CMuRTZm
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 3, 2023
Gvardiol is reportedly set to arrive in Manchester tonight to complete his medical on Friday just days before City is set to clash with budding league rival Arsenal in the Community Shield annual curtain raiser.
The 21-year-old Zagreb-born Croatian international center-back has emerged as one of the brightest defensive talents anywhere in Europe during his two years in Saxony, which culminated in a fantastic showing during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Apart from the pending move, City have only secured one other deal this summer in the wake of a historic treble-winning season in 2022-23, bringing in Croatian compatriot Mateo Kovačić from Chelsea, but having witnessed key departures of İlkay Gündoğan, and Riyad Mahrez.
With City already boasting center-back depth that includes Rúben Dias, Nathan Aké, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, and Aymeric Laporte, one wonders what the next evolution in Guardiola’s tactical schematic is set to transpire in the northwest of England.
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