Bundesliga

Gvardiol may not join if Kovacic leaves

Gvardiol to cost Liverpool or Chelsea record transfer fee

A potential Mateo Kovacic departure from Chelsea in the summer could affect the Blues’ chances of signing Josko Gvardiol.

Gvardiol has been linked with a host of European clubs, including Chelsea, after his stellar performances for RB Leipzig and Croatia over the past couple of seasons, and this summer looks set to be a very important one for him in terms of whether or not he gets his big move.

Chelsea were indeed linked with Gvardiol last summer and had a fee of £77.4millon agreed for him, according to The Guardian, but the move did not go through as the 20-year old ended up signing a new deal with Leipzig until 2027.

Gvardiol is in serious demand across Europe

The Athletic report that relationships between Leipzig and Chelsea remain positive, especially with the Germans’ recruitment chief Christopher Vivell leaving the club for the Blues in the summer.

They also say that despite the recent struggles of Kalidou Koulibaly and the recent arrival of a left-footed centreback in Benoit Badiashile, Chelsea’s sustained interest in the Croatian may be affected by the uncertainty around the future of Mateo Kovacic at Stamford Bridge.

The midfielder’s contract runs out in 2024 with talks yet to start over a new deal, but his recent performances alongside Enzo Fernandez in the Chelsea midfield have given fans hope that he extends his stay with the club, which also keeps the probability of him persuading his international team mate to make the move to SW6 high.

Kovacic has been captaining Chelsea for the last three matches

The likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, and Real Madrid are all keeping an eye on Gvardiol, so Chelsea will need to play their cards right if they want to lure the impressive defender to the club.

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