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Pundit 'excited' by Josko Gvardiol latest as Man City ready to 'break the bank'
Noel Whelan has claimed the prospect of RB Leipzig sensation Josko Gvardiol moving to the Premier League is an “exciting” one amid links with Man City.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted the 20-year-old has been one of the “standout” defenders at the World Cup in Qatar.
According to Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla (14 December), Man City are considering “breaking the bank” with a club record-breaking €130million (£113million) bid for Gvardiol amid interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid.
The Croatia international has been a standout player at the World Cup in Qatar, helping his nation reach the semi-finals of the competition with his dominant defensive displays.
Despite his tender age, the defender – who is under contract until June 2027 at RB Leipzig, has already made 117 club appearances at senior level.
Whelan told Football Insider’s Ewan Kingsbury: “He will be someone who has definitely caught the eye of a lot of managers and clubs, I would think.
“He’s only 20 but he’s shown real maturity in this World Cup. He’s been the standout defender, for me.
“I’m sure it won’t just be Pep Guardiola who is impressed by what he’s seen in the last month.
“He’s someone who can come in and improve any team, in my opinion – and it’s really exciting to see that kind of talent potentially coming to the Premier League.”
Man City currently have Nathan Ake, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, and Aymeric Laporte to call on at centre-back.
The reigning Premier League champions currently sit five points adrift of leaders Arsenal ahead of the resumption of top-flight action on 26 December.
In other news, expert suggests Man City have “big problem” with Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez.