Chelsea ‘working hard’ to beat Real Madrid to Gvardiol

Robin Bairner

• 3 Dec 2022 11:52 GMT
• 4 min read

Chelsea are still working hard to sign defender Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig, according to Fabrizio Romano, who says Real Madrid are providing competition for the young star.

Gvardiol has been a sensation at the 2022 World Cup for Croatia but has also been in impressive form with RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.

The 20-year-old defender, who is valued at €55 million by FootballTransfers, a price that has near doubled since the start of the season, has been linked with a transfer for several months now.

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Even before the summer transfer window opened, both Chelsea and Tottenham were interested in the player, while Manchester United were advised by former interim boss Ralf Rangnick to sign him.

Gvardiol still remains high on the agenda for Chelsea, Romano reports, and although they are the leading contender to sign the centre-back, they still face some hurdles to overcome before a deal can be completed. In particular, Madrid provide a threat.

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Chelsea well placed for Gvardiol

Although Chelsea have a great relationship with Leipzig, having already secured the signature of Christopher Nkunku from the club, a deal that has not yet been made official, the Bundesliga club having shown a willingness to play hardball over Gvardiol.

In the summer, they knocked back an €80 million bid from Chelsea that would have seen the Croatian loaned back to Leipzig for the whole season, while they also extended the player’s contract in September, making him even more difficult for the Blues to get.

Romano reports, though, that the expectation within the German club’s ranks is that he will make a transfer in 2023 and leave for a top club. This could be in the January transfer window or in the summer.

Chelsea, meanwhile, remain active in the pursuit of Gvardiol and will have been heartened by a recent interview with The Athletic, in which he hinted that he holds an interest in a move to Stamford Bridge.

“It’s a big club of course and, who knows, maybe one day I will be there. It’s really nice to see things like this, especially because there is Kovacic, so you never know. I talk with him,” he said.

Gvardiol, meanwhile, has also dropped a hint that he would be open to a move to Real Madrid, while Manchester City are said to have been closely following the player.

What is Gvardiol’s release clause?

Although it has been reported that Gvardiol has a clause in his deal that would allow him to leave for around €40-45 million, Romano insists this is not the case. However, just how much Chelsea might need to pay for the defender is not clear.