Report: Chelsea have been tracking ‘amazing’ £77m player for four years, now they are close to signing him

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Chelsea have reportedly been tracking Josko Gvardiol since he was 16.

According to the Daily Mail, the Blues started ‘gathering information’ on the defender four years ago, and have continued their interest ever since.

Todd Boehly’s intrigue will have increased to new levels whilst the RB Leipzig player has taken the World Cup by storm.

Gvardiol has been crucial to Croatia’s run to the quarter-finals, and will be required to rock the tournament once again against Brazil later today.

“Gvardiol is the best centre back in the world. To play this maturely, it’s amazing. The way he plays, with what elegance he carries the ball,” purred his international manager Zlatko Dalic earlier in the tournament.

The 20-year-old has earned the admiration of not only his coach and pundits since he stepped foot in Qatar, but some of Europe’s heavy hitters.

Along with Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona are said to be in the running for the Croatian’s signature.

Josko Gvardiol has got the world at his feet

Boehly must be wishing his predecessors took a punt on Gvardiol when he was only a teenager.

Nearly a half a decade ago, he would’ve cost nearly next to nothing.

Now, the Leipzig ace is valued at around £75m, with Madrid apparently ready to splash £77m to ensure they beat their rivals to the prize.

But Chelsea are not going to bow down to the Champions League holders.

Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Boehly and his gang are ‘actively working’ on a deal to persuade Gvardiol to leave his Bundesliga settings.

It’s the Blues versus Los Blancos in the battle to sign the man with the superhero mask.