Josko Gvardiol Signs For Manchester City In £77m Deal As Croatia Star Becomes Second Most Expensive Defender In Soccer History

Manchester City have signed Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig for a transfer fee of £77 million, making him the second most expensive defender in soccer history.

Manchester City have signed Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig.

Gvardiol, 21, has signed a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium.

City paid Leipzig a transfer fee of £77 million, according to BBC Sport.

That fee makes Gvardiol the second most expensive defender in soccer history, behind England center-back Harry Maguire, who cost Manchester United £80m in 2019 when he moved from Leicester.

Gvardiol has also become City's second most expensive signing of all time, after Jack Grealish's £100m transfer from Aston Villa in 2021.

He will wear the no.24 jersey for City.

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— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 5, 2023

Gvardiol made 59 Bundesliga appearances for Leipzig over the past two seasons, after joining from Dinamo Zagreb in July 2021.

He also featured in 12 UEFA Champions League games for the German club.

Two of those UCL appearances came against City last season.

Gvardiol scored in a 1-1 draw with City in Germany, but the English champions then thrashed Leipzig 7-0 in the second leg thanks to five goals from Erling Haaland.

In his first interview with ManCity.com, Gvardiol admitted that he was happy that Haaland will now be his teammate, rather than an opponent, during the 2023/24 campaign.

Josko Gvardiol has joined Manchester City from RB Leipzig in Germany :: IMAGO/Sven Simon

"To be honest, everyone wanted to avoid City as a team last season," said Gvardiol. "Unfortunately, we were one of the teams who got City in the Champions League!

"We knew it is going to be hard, but it was just unbelievable. The way City played at home and the atmosphere, it was just a different level.

"And I said a couple of times that you guys deserved to win the Champions League.

"As for Erling Haaland, we all know what he had on us last season and congratulations to Erling.

"It's nice to have him on my side now, but yeah, last season and the season before in the Bundesliga, he was a tough player - strong, fast and he has everything to become one of the best in the world.

"Luckily I'm on his side now and I don't have to worry about him anymore!"

Gvardiol can play as a central defender or at left-back.