Croatian defender Josko Guardiol seems to prefer playing for Manchester City in England. The news was announced by Leipzig's sporting director, Max Eberl. The latter also added that talks are underway between the "citizens" and the German club for a possible agreement for the talent card. Eberl said:
"Josko and his advisors have expressed their desire for a transfer to Manchester City. We are in talks. There is nothing else to say at this time."
According to some sports media reports, Guardiol's card could be worth 86 million pounds. In this case, the Croatian would officially be the most expensive defender in history. Guardiol impressed with his performances at the World Cup, helping the Croatian national team reach the semi-finals of the prestigious competition. Meanwhile, regarding the progress with Leipzig, the defender managed to triumph in the German Cup this season with his club.
If Guardiol leaves, he will be another big loss for Leipzig, following the departures of Christopher Nkunku, Dominik Szoboszlai and Konrad Laimer. The sports director himself, Max Eberl, has admitted that the concern of the fans about the departures of the players is right, but he assured them about the future of the club:
"I understand the frustration and concern among the fans. No club and coach in the world will lose players of this caliber. But we have prepared for this moment and I can promise you that we will again have a strong and quality team."
We recall that Frenchman Nkunku left Leipzig to join the blues of Chelsea, Szoboszlai signed a contract with Liverpool, while Laimer chose to play for rivals Bayern Munich. If Guardiol manages to seal a contract with Manchester City, it remains to be seen whether the player will be able to secure a starting place in Pep Guardiola's XI.
