RB Leipzig and Manchester City rarely talk about money. But after Josko Gvardiol’s transfer to England, Max Eberl chose clear words.
“Due to his desire to change and the overall financial package, which makes him the most expensive defender in history, we decided, taking all parameters into account, to agree to the early change,” said Leipzig’s sporting director in a club statement.
After weeks of rumors and negotiations, the two clubs announced the change of the Croatian national player from the Saxons to the Champions League winner – for 91.5 million euros plus bonuses. So far, Englishman Harry Maguire has been considered a record defender after moving from Leicester City to Manchester United for 87 million euros.
“I’ve always dreamed of playing in England one day and it’s a real honor for me to do so now at Manchester City,” said Gvardiol, who has signed a five-year contract. The Croatian was signed by RB in 2020 but played for Dinamo Zagreb for another year. During this time, he received training plans and evaluations of his game scenes from the then RB coach Julian Nagelsmann in order to be well prepared for Leipzig.
It was him, he has played 87 games for the Saxons since 2021, developed into a regular player in the national team and became an international discovery at the latest at the World Cup. In ManCity’s Champions League duels against RB, he then conquered the heart of star coach Pep Guardiola, who wanted him with all his might. Cost what it may.
Can RB compensate for the departures?
What will happen to RB Leipzig now? Konrad Laimer is gone (free transfer/FC Bayern), Christopher Nkunku is gone (around 65 million euros/FC Chelsea), Dominik Szoboszlai is gone (70 million euros/FC Liverpool) and now Gvardiol too. Can a top club put up with the failure of such an important axis? Those responsible are cautious but optimistic. After all, they directly reinvested the approximately 230 million income. But it remains to be seen whether newcomers like strikers Lois Openda and Benjamin Sesko, midfielders Xavi Simons, Fabio Carvalho, Nicolas Seiwald and Christoph Baumgartner or defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu will help immediately.
Coach Marco Rose emphasizes like a mantra that the team still has to find their feet after this upheaval and have to find a common rhythm. He is not giving out goals for the time being. Sports director Max Eberl also points to the newcomers and that you first have to sort yourself out: “One thing is clear: we remain ambitious and hungry, of course we want to attack the Champions League places again and in the medium term also reduce the gap to Bayern.”
