Man City ready to make Josko Gvardiol the world's most expensive defender after submitting improved £86m transfer bid for RB Leipzig star

City have been linked with Gvardiol throughout the summer and saw a bid worth £77m ($99m) rejected earlier this summer. Leipzig have been holding out for £86m and that figure has now been met, albeit in an offer that is worth £77m plus £9m ($10m) in add-ons, per Sport Bild.

While there is said to be an expectation that Gvardiol will move to City this summer, Leipzig have yet to accept the offer, as they want more realistic goals to be included in the £9m add-ons. Were he to make the move, he would become the most expensive defender in the world, outstripping Harry Maguire, who moved to Manchester United from Leicester City for a total of £80m in 2019 ($97m).

Leipzig are not under any pressure to sell Gvardiol, having already seen Dominik Szoboszlai leave to join Liverpool, and he has a release clause in his contract worth €112m (£96m/$124m) that activates next summer, meaning the club could attempt to keep him until then. Still, they are hopeful of clarifying his future before the transfer deadline in case they need to buy a replacement.

City will hope to formalise a deal for Gvardiol before they kick off their latest Premier League campaign away at Burnley on August 11.