Chelsea lead the race to sign Josko Gvardiol following submission of an offer. (Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP via Getty Images)
According to The Athletic (Subscription required), Chelsea target and Croatia international Josko Gvardiol hasn’t ruled out a move to Stamford Bridge when he was asked about it.
The RB Leipzig defender is currently representing his nation in the World Cup as they are through to the next round. He has been one of the standout players in the Croatian team with solid defensive performances and was colossal in his team’s vital 0-0 draw against Belgium, stopping a couple of clear-cut chances for the Red Devils all by himself.
Gvardiol has been linked with a move to Chelsea for quite some time now. English champions Manchester City have also joined the race in the last few weeks. It is suggested that Leipzig would hold out for a fee of more than £77m if they are to sell the 20-year-old.
When asked about a potential move to Stamford Bridge in the future, here’s what the defender said (h/t The Athletic):
“About me and Chelsea? I don’t know. You know what happened in the last few months. To be honest, I have no idea.
“My agent is taking care of this and we will see. Right now, I’m happy in Leipzig. I don’t know, we will see – you never know. You know the stories and these things, but all I can say is that I’m happy in Leipzig and right now I’m going to stay there and perform for them.”
The former Dinamo Zagreb player is a versatile operator who can play both as a centre-back and a left-back. He is very good on the ball, is physically strong, reads the game well and possesses good recovery pace.
The added advantage is that he is left-footed. In modern-day football, we do not have many elite left-footed centre-backs. They add a different dimension to the team, especially in possession from the back.
Chelsea would be in a situation where they are in search of a long-term replacement for veteran centre-back Thiago Silva. The Brazil captain is 38 now and remains undecided on whether he will extend his contract beyond this season at Stamford Bridge.
Gvardiol’s comments can be interpreted that he is not ruling out a move away from Leipzig in the future. The 20-year-old would be an ideal Silva replacement. He is young and can offer many more years of top-class service to Chelsea.
Money could be an issue seeing how much the German side would demand, but the player’s quality is worth it, to be honest.
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