According to TuttoJuve, Chelsea are far ahead of their European rivals in the race to sign RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.
The London giants were interested in signing Gvardiol in the last transfer window. They wanted to secure an advanced agreement for next summer, but Leipzig refused to negotiate. After turning down a final offer of £78 million, Leipzig decided to hand an improved contract to the Croatian.
However, Chelsea have not given up on the talented centre-back and TuttoJuve claim that the club could have an advantage after selling Timo Werner to Leipzig over the summer. The report adds that they are far ahead of Manchester City, Liverpool, Barcelona and Juventus in Gvardiol’s pursuit.
World-class potential
Gvardiol is considered as one of the best young central defenders in world football and has been impressing with Croatia at the World Cup. Chelsea wanted to ward off the competition with a quick deal over the summer, but Leipzig were not willing to listen to offers. CEO Oliver Mintzlaff said that Gvardiol will continue at the club next season.
The German club have set a firm stance on the Croatian star but Chelsea will be optimistic of convincing them with a fresh approach. A mid-season deal appears off the cards, but a summer move could come to fruition if Chelsea are prepared to pay over the odds for the highly-rated defender.
The 20-year-old has the potential to evolve into a world-class star. He is sound defensively when it comes to tackling and concentration in the box. He is also superb with his ground distribution and has shown that he can comfortably play out from the back with his quality dribbling skills as well.
A £78 million bid was deemed insufficient to test Leipzig’s resolve for the youngster. It could take close to £100 million to persuade them into selling him. Chelsea may possibly have an advantage with their good working relationship with Leipzig. They are on the verge of signing Christopher Nkunku from them.
