With the Mateo Kovacic signing now a done deal, RB Leipzig defender Joško Gvardiol becomes the next top transfer target. Known as “Little Pep,” as his last name is so similar to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, it is only natural that City are targeting him this summer.
According to TalkSPORT (cited above), Leipzig want at least £75 million for their Croatian sensation.
While there were several masked men who really impressed on the pitch at the 2022 World Cup, Gvardiol might have stood out the most. As the football world watched his fine form in Qatar this past November and December, more and more clubs became interested.
He’s been linked with several clubs, including Chelsea, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur. Gvardiol even admitted, during the tournament, how he would like to play for Real Madrid. He even revealed that a national teammate, Luka Modric, was getting in his ear.
He has of course said similar things about playing for Chelsea, what an honor it is to be linked with that club, how much he would like to play for them, etc.
These remarks of course invited more transfer speculation. So it really sounds like he’s ready to move on from the Bundesliga and make the jump to a bigger club, with City as strong a contender as anyone. Much like Pep is often called the best manager in the world, Gvardiol is commonly referred to as the best central defender in the world.
Lionel Messi was his favorite player growing up, but now he more looks to Liverpool CB super Virgil van Dijk as his role model.
“As a kid, I admired Lionel Messi, but now I am increasingly watching the players in my position. And today Virgil Van Dijk is the best.” Gvardiol told 24sata.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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