It has been reported that RB Leipzig have decided against selling Manchester City transfer target Josko Gvardiol in the summer.
This revelation comes from Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenburg, as it was revealed in March that the Sky Blues are leading the race to sign him over Chelsea and Liverpool. Furthermore, it was stated by Fabrizio Romano in the same month that the youngster is viewed as a replacement for Aymeric Laporte, who is a Barcelona target.
But it seems as if Manchester City may have hit a roadblock in their attempt to pull off a transfer for Josko Gvardiol, as RB Leipzig seem insistent on keeping him in the summer.
More details on Manchester City and their transfer obstacle in Gvardiol race
Considering Pep Guardiola has been employing a back three in possession due to the solidity it offers and the lack of an attacking full-back, one can foresee Gvardiol potentially occupying Nathan Ake’s role.
In fact, considering the Croatian international has been deployed in this role for Leipzig on several occasions, he may well be a perfect fit.
But it has been claimed that even if Manchester City or any suitor such as Real Madrid, Chelsea or Liverpool offer even as much as £88 million, RB Leipzig will refuse to sell Josko Gvardiol and even a club-record fee will not ‘change their mind.’
The German giants are simply not considering an exit for the 21-year-old.
Let Leipzig keep him
As talented as Josko Gvardiol is, the fee in question that RB Leipzig are seemingly willing to turn down for a transfer should encourage Manchester City to move on.
In any case, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva may well leave in the summer, which potentially makes a central midfielder an even bigger priority, while a direct winger still remains a need, due to only a declining Riyad Mahrez and a young Cole Palmer being natural wide players in their roster.
