Manchester United are believed to be one of the clubs who are in the running to land Croatian defender, Josko Gvardiol, with the Red Devils said to have made an approach for the 20-year-old.
What’s the word?
According to French outlet Foot Mercato, the Premier League giants are currently in the mix for the RB Leipzig man’s signature, although are set to face intense competition from both Manchester City and Chelsea.
The report suggests that those at the Etihad have made an offer of around €100m (£86m) ahead of the January transfer window, while both United and the Blues have submitted offers of around €90m (£77.5m) and €95m (£82m) respectively.
The piece goes on to add that the ‘bidding has only just begun’ for the former Dinamo Zagreb ace, with the centre-back having previously appeared close to sealing a move to Stamford Bridge over the summer.
‘Incredible’ in Qatar
The 6 foot 1 ace – who can also feature at left-back – could well help to strengthen Erik ten Hag’s defensive options, amid continued uncertainty surrounding the future of club captain Harry Maguire, as well as the persistent injury woes of Raphael Varane.
Despite his youth, Gvardiol has already emerged as a leading figure in European football as a result of his displays in Germany over the past year or so, notably showcasing his quality in possession as he ranks in the top 1% in Europe for dribbles completed among those in his position, as well as in the top 5% for progressive passes.
The aforementioned Maguire ranks in just the bottom 12% for dribbles completed and the top 24% for progressive passes, while even a fully fit Varane can seemingly not match that ball-playing quality, as the Frenchman ranks in the bottom 34% and the top 13% for the same two metrics respectively.
That composure on the ball does not seemingly come at a cost with regards to the Zagreb-born sensation’s defensive strength, however, with the £18.5k-per-week menace – whose current deal in Saxony runs until 2027 – having proven himself a real “monster and a warrior” at the World Cup of late, according to one journalist.
The exciting talent has started all five games for the 2018 finalists in Qatar thus far, playing a vital role in the surge to the semi-final stage after averaging 1.2 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per game, while also recording a remarkable haul of 6.4 clearances per game as a marker of his dogged determination to keep the opposition at bay.
That aggression and desire was particularly evident in the shock win over a much-fancied Brazil side in the quarter-final, with Gvardiol recording seven clearances and two blocked shots in that outing, having been lauded for his “incredible” display by journalist Nizaar Kinsella.
For a player of relative youth, the central defender has shown remarkable maturity to continue to perform in such a pressurised environment, notably losing possession on just six occasions from his 83 touches last time out.
Such form in front of a global audience has likely only piqued the interest of Ten Hag and co even further, with the race now on to see just who can win the race to secure his services.
While United may well have other priorities – including signing a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo – the addition of Gvardiol would certainly be a wise investment for the long term.