Manchester City have kick-started their summer transfer activity by making an initial bid of £77 million to secure the services of RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.
The Croatia international has already agreed to personal terms with the Premier League champions, and negotiations are now underway between the two clubs to finalise the transfer fee.
While City have put forward a proposal to sign Gvardiol for a total package of £77 million, Leipzig is expected to hold out for a higher fee. The Bundesliga club values the highly-rated central defender at a minimum of £86 million and remains unwilling to accept anything less for his departure.
Gvardiol has previously been linked with Chelsea, who attempted to sign him for approximately £75 million at the start of last season. However, Leipzig showed great reluctance to sanction his sale, making it unlikely that the Blues will reignite their interest in the 21-year-old star.
For Chelsea, their current focus lies in strengthening their midfield and centre-forward positions with marquee signings ahead of the new season. The club are determined to secure the signature of Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, while they also have their sights set on recruiting another striker to complement Nicolas Jackson.
As the negotiations between Manchester City and RB Leipzig continue, football fans eagerly await the outcome of this high-profile transfer saga. The transfer window promises to bring further excitement and intrigue as clubs across Europe aim to strengthen their squads in preparation for the upcoming campaign.
