RB Leipzig RB sells Gvardiol
World’s most expensive transfer of a defender, confirms Eberl
Status: 05.08.2023 | Reading time: 3 minutes
Josko Gvardiol bought RB Leipzig 2020 Dinamo Zagberb for 18 million euros
Which: pa/SvenSimon/Frank Hoermann/SVEN SIMON
Josko Gvardiol’s record transfer to Champions League winners Manchester City is perfect. RB Leipzig collects a record transfer fee. There are now new opportunities for the team from Saxony – but the change also entails immense challenges.
RB Leipzig and Manchester City don’t talk about money, but Josko Gvardiol has become the most expensive defender in the world. After weeks of rumors and negotiations, the two clubs announced on Saturday the change of the Croatian national player from the Saxons to the Champions League winner – for 91.5 million euros plus bonuses.
“Because of his desire to change and the overall financial package, which makes him the most expensive defender in history, we decided, taking all parameters into account, to agree to the early change,” said sporting director Max Eberl. So far, England international Harry Maguire has held this record, who went from Leicester City to Manchester United for 87 million euros in 2019.
Gvardiol actually only had an exit clause for his RB contract, which ran until the summer of 2027, for the coming summer. The fixed amount should be around 110 million euros. With the transfer of the 21-year-old defender, the XXL upheaval at the DFB Cup winner is perfect.
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“I’ve always dreamed of playing in England one day and it’s a real honor for me to do so now at Manchester City. Anyone who has seen the team in recent games knows it’s the best in the world,” said Gvardiol, who has signed a five-year contract. The Croatian was signed by RB in 2020 for 18 million euros, but played for Dinamo Zagreb for another year. During this time, he received training plans and evaluations of his game scenes from the then RB coach Julian Nagelsmann in order to be well prepared for Leipzig.
Guardiola wanted Gvardiol with all his might
And it was he, who has consolidated the Saxons’ defense in 87 games since 2021, developed into a regular player in the national team and became an international discovery at the latest at the World Cup. In the Champions League duels between Manchester City and RB, he then conquered the heart of star coach Pep Guardiola, who wanted him with all his might. Cost what it may.
What will happen to RB Leipzig now? Konrad Laimer is gone (free transfer/FC Bayern), Christopher Nkunku is gone (around 65 million euros/FC Chelsea), Dominik Szoboszlai is gone (70 million euros/FC Liverpool) and now Gvardiol too. Can a top club put up with the loss of such an important axis? Those responsible are cautious but optimistic. After all, they directly reinvested the approximately 230 million income. But it remains to be seen whether newcomers like strikers Lois Openda and Benjamin Sesko, midfielders Xavi Simons, Fabio Carvalho, Nicolas Seiwald and Christoph Baumgartner or defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu will help immediately.
Coach Marco Rose emphasizes like a mantra that the team still has to find their feet after this upheaval and have to find a common rhythm. He is not giving out goals for the time being. Sports director Max Eberl also points to the newcomers and that you first have to sort yourself out: “One thing is clear: we remain ambitious and hungry, of course we want to attack the Champions League places again and in the medium term also reduce the gap to Bayern.”
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