Man City target Gvardiol if Laporte departs club - sources

Posted Saturday, June 24, 2023 by ESPN

RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol is a transfer target for Manchester City if Aymeric Laporte leaves this summer, sources have told ESPN.

Gvardiol is on a shortlist of players to possibly replace Laporte, who is open to leaving the Etihad Stadium.

One sticking point, however, is RB Leipzig's valuation of the Croatia defender. The Bundesliga side have already lost Christopher Nkunku to Chelsea and Konrad Laimer to Bayern Munich this summer and would prefer to keep Gvardiol for at least one more year.

Sources have told ESPN that RB Leipzig could ask for a transfer fee as high as €100 million ($108.9m) because Gvardiol, 21, only signed a new deal in September 2022 and is under contract until 2027.

Laporte is assessing his options ahead of a possible move away from City. The 29-year-old slipped behind Ruben Dias, John Stones, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake in the pecking order last season and was restricted to just 12 appearances in the Premier League as a result.

Laporte has a contract at the Etihad until 2025 and City will ask for a sizable fee before allowing him to leave.

Meanwhile, sources have told ESPN that City midfielder Bernardo Silva has an offer from Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal.

Silva, according to sources, has been told he can leave this summer if City's valuation is met and aside from Al Hilal, there is also interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.

Silva, according to sources, would prefer to stay in Europe if he leaves the Etihad but has not yet ruled out Al Hilal's offer. Silva's City teammate, Riyad Mahrez, has also been sounded out about a possible move to Saudi Arabia.