It’s no secret that both Barcelona and Real Madrid will explore the signing of a new central defender during this summer’s transfer window. They’re each keen to solve their defensive woes with the addition of a new recruit, so it is no surprise that they’ve established similar targets.
Earlier in the year, Borussia Dortmund and Germany star Nico Schlotterbeck was wanted by both clubs, although their interest has since dropped after he signed a new contract. Instead, they’ve turned their attention to the Premier League – and more specifically, Manchester City.
According to CaughtOffside, Josko Gvardiol is open to leaving Man City in wake of Pep Guardiola’s exit, and among the clubs interested in his services are the El Clasico rivals. The 24-year-old, who has previously offered himself to the Bernabeu club, is also on the agenda of Bayern Munich, who want to return him to Germany three years after he left RB Leipzig for Manchester.
Man City ready to take a loss on Gvardiol
Back in 2023, Man City paid €90m to sign Gvardiol, but while he has generally done well during his time at the Etihad Stadium, it’s reported that the Premier League side would be prepared to accept a fee in the region of €75m, which could be a market opportunity for a player that has regularly shown his quality in England.
Currently, it’s reported that Gvardiol is not a priority for either Real Madrid or Barcelona. The former are yet to make a final decision on who to target during the summer transfer window, whereas the Catalans are looking at forwards instead – they’re close to a deal for Anthony Gordon, and a new striker would be their next step once that’s complete.
It will be very interesting to see if Real Madrid or Barcelona make a move for Gvardiol in the summer, but there’s little doubt that he would be a top addition for either club.
