Manchester City is considering a move for RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol as a potential replacement for Aymeric Laporte, should the latter decide to leave the club during the current transfer window according to sources at ESPN,
Gvardiol features on a list of players being considered to fill Laporte’s position.
However, one obstacle in the potential transfer is RB Leipzig’s valuation of the talented Croatian center-back.
The Bundesliga club has already experienced departures this summer, with Christopher Nkunku joining Chelsea and Konrad Laimer moving to Bayern Munich.
As a result, RB Leipzig would prefer to retain Gvardiol for at least another year.
Sources have told ESPN that RB Leipzig could ask for a transfer fee as high as €100 million ($108.9m) because Gvardiol, 21, only signed a new deal in September 2022 and is under contract until 2027.
Laporte is assessing his options ahead of a possible move away from City. The 29-year-old slipped behind Ruben Dias, John Stones, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake in the pecking order last season and was restricted to just 12 appearances in the Premier League as a result.
Laporte has a contract at the Etihad until 2025 and City will ask for a sizable fee before allowing him to leave.
Meanwhile, sources have told ESPN that City midfielder Bernardo Silva has an offer from Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal.
Silva, according to sources, has been told he can leave this summer if City’s valuation is met and aside from Al Hilal, there is also interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.
Silva, according to sources, would prefer to stay in Europe if he leaves the Etihad but has not yet ruled out Al Hilal’s offer. Silva’s City teammate, Riyad Mahrez, has also been sounded out about a possible move to Saudi Arabia.