Liverpool may have inadvertently scuppered Manchester City’s plans of signing RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.
City are long-standing admirers of the Croatian centre-back and got a first-hand look at the 21-year-old during last season’s Champions League Round-of-16 double header.
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With the Premier League champions appearing to be closing in on the signing of Gvardiol earlier this week, news of a deal has slowed down.
One of the reasons for that could be Liverpool’s acquisition of Leipzig midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai who sealed his switch to Anfield earlier this month.
RB Leipzig’s director of sport, Max Eberl, told Sky Germany on Friday that the Bundesliga side no longer need to sell Gvardiol because the money recouped from Szoboszlai has financially secured the club.
The Reds paid Leipzig £60million for the Hungarian after Newcastle were credited with an initial interest in the player.
Szoboszlai became Liverpool’s second signing of the summer after Alexis Mac Allister completed his move from Brighton.
City, who have added Mateo Kovacic to their Treble-winning squad this summer, had reportedly planned a medical for Gvardiol, suggesting a deal was close.
However, Eberl has denied a deal has been agreed with City, hinting City are yet to table an offer that meets their valuation of the player.
“The fact is that Man City would like to have him [but] currently we’re still very far apart,” he said. “We don’t need the money. We’d prefer Josko to stay.”
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Leipzig have already seen star forward Christopher Nkunku leave the club for Chelsea this summer but have been able to bring in Xavi Simons on loan from Paris Saint-Germain to fill the void.
Eberl does not expect Gvardiol to push for a move but admitted that if he did, a deal could still be struck.
He said: “We’re not a club that blocks anything. We’re transparent. But we have our ideas and want them to be implemented.”
And Gvardiol’s teammate Willi Orban added: “I asked him [Gvardiol], he says the deal isn’t done.
“I would love to keep him here, he is a fantastic centre-back who is still very young and still has room for improvement. I hope he will stay with us.”
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