RB Leipzig are bracing themselves for bids for their young centre-back, Josko Gvardiol, amid mounting interest from Chelsea, according to the Daily Mail.
Gvardiol played a key role in Leipzig’s securing a top-four finish and a ticket to the Champions League in his first season in Bundesliga.
The 20-year-old’s centre-back’s strong season, unsurprisingly, caught the attention of Chelsea, who will have to replace both Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen this summer.
The Daily Mail claims that alongside Jules Kounde, Gvardiol is on Chelsea’s summer shortlist, and the change of ownership at the club means the club could now accelerate their moves.
Chelsea are not the only club in the race for the Croatia international, however, with London rivals Tottenham Hotspur reportedly also vying for the defender’s signature, while Manchester United are said to have made tentative enquiries.
In addition to that, it will likely be an uphill battle for these clubs since Leipzig are keen on keeping Gvardiol.
Without any release clause in Gvardiol contract, which expires in 2026, Leipzig are obviously in a comfortable position to fend off any transfer approach from other clubs.
What are the alternative options for Chelsea?
Gvardiol is a left-footed centre-back who mostly plays on the left of the back three at Leipzig, and from Chelsea’s perspective, he would be an ideal candidate to replace Rudiger.
The Blues, however, also have another young defender with similar traits in Levi Colwill, who spent last season on loan at Huddersfield Town.
Lewis Hall, an academy star, is also left-footed, who despite being a midfielder, previously impressed in the left centre-back role in his senior Chelsea debut in the FA Cup third-round win over Chesterfield back in January.
Considering it remains unclear whether Thomas Tuchel will keep Malang Sarr in his squad, Chelsea may need two new left centre-backs, however, and it is likely that they will have to dip into the transfer market for solutions.
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