Chelsea plotting Josko Gvardiol transfer
FT Desk
- 30 Aug 2022 19:15 BST
- 3 min read
Chelsea are set to launch a €90 million bid to acquire Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig at the end of the season.
Chelsea lost Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen on free transfers to Real Madrid and Barcelona earlier this summer, but they have already spent more than €100m on defenders to replace them, signing Marc Cucurella from Brighton and Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli.
With evergreen Thiago Silva still playing at the heart of their defence and Reece James able to deputise in the back three, the need for another centre-back might not seem acute, but that hasn't stopped Chelsea from sounding out Leipzig's young Croatian.
💭 Did you know... no player under the age of 2️⃣1️⃣ has played more minutes in the #Bundesliga than Josko #Gvardiol. 📈 👏 pic.twitter.com/n8bu9s6XK3
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) February 5, 2022
"Chelsea are in advanced talks with RB Leipzig to sign Josko Gvardiol!" tweeted transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano. "Deal would be completed now but with Gvardiol staying at RB Leipzig, he'd join Chelsea in June 2023.
"Official proposal submitted today around €90m. Negotiations ongoing on clubs side."
Gvardiol extended his deal at the Red Bull Arena until 2026 this summer, warding off interest from Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and others at the time, and he has featured in all four of Leipzig's Bundesliga games this season, albeit only starting one of them.
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How good is Gvardiol?
A powerful left-footed defender who is equally happy playing left-back in a back four or left centre-back in a three-man defence, Gvardiol joined Leipzig from Dinamo Zagreb in an €18.8m deal in 2020 and slotted straight into the side.
Last season, the 20-year-old started 28 of a possible 34 Bundesliga games as Leipzig qualified for the Champions League with a fourth-place finish. Although the Saxony side were disappointed not to finish closer to Bayern, it was a success for Gvardiol individually.
He averaged more than five progressive passes and carries per 90 minutes, completed three interceptions and one dribble per game - putting him in the 90th percentile or better by each measure among players in his position league-wide.
