It has been an interesting start for Josko Gvardiol at Manchester City following his world-record move from RB Lepzig in the summer.
The Croatian international became the club’s second addition of the window, following compatriot Mateo Kovacic to the Etihad Stadium.
The move had been in the pipeline for a while, and there was relief when City finally confirmed the deal on August 5, by which point the season had already started.
There was great excitement – Gvardiol was coming in with a reputation as being the most promising young defender in Europe.
So far, it has been a rather mixed bag for the star, who has come in for a bit of criticism for his performances over the last couple of months.
He’s had some tough times, but there is one player at Manchester City whose journey he can definitely take heart from…
Josko Gvardiol must consider John Stones’ journey at Manchester City
Once upon a time, John Stones was actually a bit of laughing stock at Manchester City.
He had signed for the club from Everton as a 22-year-old, with City playing the Toffees around £50 million, making him the most expensive Premier League defender ever at the time.
Such a title brought about big pressure for Stones, who would make a string of mistakes in his first couple of seasons at the Etihad.
He was questioned regularly. For many, it seemed that the player was placing more emphasis on his ball-playing than his defending.
There were even times when Stones was struggling for form so much that there were even reports about his future at the club.
But he kept his head down and plugged away – and the view of the £250,000-a-week star now is so far away from what it was a few years ago.
These days, Stones, now 29, is an elite ball player who has seriously improved his defending. Earlier this year, Guardiola started deploying Stones in a hybrid role – and the England international has been magnificent in it.
No one questions Stones now – and Gvardiol can definitely enjoy a similar journey at City.
It’s easy to forget how young Gvardiol still is
Gvardiol is coming in for criticism because of the money City paid for him. At £77 million, he certainly did not come cheap.
Gvardiol actually did look very assured in the first couple of months, but his level recently has just dropped a bit. The Premier League can be unforgiving, and his performances against Chelsea and Aston Villa were tough to watch.
It is easy to forget that Gvardiol is still only 21 years old. He looks older than that, and he also plays the game with a real maturity for the most part.
Patience is required with him. He has definitely offered enough so far to suggest that he will become a phenomenal player in a few years.
He’s joined the club at almost the same age as Stones was, and he’s now one of the best players in the world. Hopefully, he can keep his teammate’s amazing journey in his mind when the going gets tough.
Interestingly, Kovacic said recently that Gvardiol could learn a lot from watching Stones, whom he branded ‘amazing’. By observing him and confiding in him, Gvardiol will no doubt realise his potential at City.
