Leeds United ‘believe they can get’ RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol and players of his calibre to the club in the summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The highly-rated 20-year-old has reportedly attracted the attention of several top-level clubs from across the continent following a string of eye-catching performances this season.

What is the latest news involving Gvardiol?

According to Football Insider, Leeds have tracked the progress of Gvardiol for two years now after coming close to signing him in 2020 and have stepped up their interest in the youngster once again.

The Croatia international is valued at a whopping £100m by the CIES Football Observatory but the west Yorkshire outfit may be able to secure his services for a significantly lower fee.

Football Insider claim that Leipzig are set to demand £27m for the versatile centre-back, who has just over four years left to run on his current contract at the Red Bull Arena.

However, Leeds could face fierce competition for the 6 foot 1 ace as The Telegraph claim fellow Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur are also keeping close tabs on his situation.

Yet the Whites could have the upper hand over their domestic rivals in the race to sign Gvardiol after he featured 18 times for their new manager Jesse Marsch during their time together at Leipzig.

What has Jones said about Gvardiol?

With Gvardiol being linked to the likes of Spurs, who are challenging for Champions League football, Jones admitted he originally believed their pursuit was ‘a bit too ambitious’.

Nevertheless, the transfer insider has now told GiveMeSport that the Leeds hierarchy ‘believe’ that is the end of the market where they should be shopping.

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He said to GMS: “I thought at first it was a bit too ambitious, but the more I speak to people, the more I start to realise that Leeds are starting to believe that this is where they should be shopping.

“These are the sorts of players that they believe they can get. So, I’m certainly not going to rule it out.”

Would Gvardiol be a good signing?

Leeds currently have the worst defensive record in the Premier League, and Gvardiol’s underlying numbers indicate he could have the potential to help change that.

As per FBref, he has ranked in the 99^th percentile for dribbles completed, 98^th for interceptions and 96^th for progressive passes when compared to players in his position over the last year.

It’s clear, therefore, that Gvardiol is performing to an exceptional standard, but convincing him to move away from a side competing for silverware and playing European football may be a difficult task.