Chelsea are ‘still asking’ RB Leipzig for defender Josko Gvardiol as he is Thomas Tuchel’s ‘priority’, according to journalist Simon Phillips.
The Blues are known to be in the market for at least one central defender and have identified the 20-year-old as one of their top targets, alongside Wesley Fofana, in what remains of the summer window.
What is the latest news involving Gvardiol?
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed at the end of July that Chelsea made a second attempt to sign Gvardiol by offering Timo Werner as a makeweight after their initial approach was rejected.
Romano then stated that Leipzig and the capital club held a meeting on Sunday, resulting in the Bundesliga outfit leading the charge for Werner’s signature ahead of Juventus.
However, any potential deal for the German international to return to his former club appears to be separate from a possible one involving Gvardiol moving in the opposite direction.
The Evening Standard have disclosed that Leipzig have rejected a swap deal involving Werner for their star defender, meaning Chelsea may have to pay his price tag in full.
Previous reports have stated that Gvardiol could cost up to £75 million, while others have indicated that he is not for sale at any price.
What has Phillips said about Gvardiol?
Chelsea have already signed Kalidou Koulibaly this summer, but the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen mean a minimum of one further addition at the back is required.
Phillips has informed GiveMeSport that the west London outfit have not given up hope of bringing Gvardiol to the club as he is at the top of Tuchel’s wish list.
He told GMS: “Obviously, they're negotiating Timo Werner at the moment as well with Leipzig. So, Chelsea are still asking for him because they know that he is Tuchel’s priority.”
Would Gvardiol be a good signing?
Gvardiol is left-footed, something that would prove to be a valuable asset in Tuchel’s setup which includes three centre-backs and is possession orientated.
As per FBref, the youngster ranked in the 99th percentile for completed dribbles, 97th for interceptions and progressive passes, and 94th for progressive carries amongst his positional peers over the last year.
Standing at 6 foot 1, the Croatia international also has the physical prowess to cope with the demands of the Premier League alongside the technical ability and was labelled "extraordinary" by compatriot Ivica Olic.
Concluding a deal for Gvardiol with Leipzig may prove to be extremely tricky for Chelsea, yet if they can pull it off, it could have a sizeable impact on their fortunes for many years to come.