Liverpool are well placed to bring RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol to the Premier League this summer, according to reports.
Who's going to sign Gvardiol?
The Croatian's contract at the Red Bull Arena isn't set to expire until 2027, but following his impressive performances for his nation at the World Cup last year, alongside his displays in the Bundesliga, he has caught the eyes of more than just Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds, Manchester City and Chelsea have all been credited with an interest in the 21-year-old, who has made it public knowledge to his admirers that it's his dream to one day complete a move to a club in the English top-flight. According to 90min, the Merseyside outfit have already sent scouts to watch the centre-back in action so that they can regularly monitor his situation ahead of the upcoming window.
Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg earlier this month claimed that despite there being a genuine admiration, the two clubs haven't yet held any kind of negotations regarding a potential deal, and whilst that may be the case, it sounds like they are confident that an agreement can be reached ahead of their fellow competitors.
According to Football Insider, Liverpool are "well placed" and are "in the running" to sign Gvardiol this summer, who has become one of the most "sought-after" defenders on the market right now. The Anfield-based side hold a "concrete interest" in their target but are fully aware of the "strong competition" they face with Manchester United and Real Madrid also in the race for his signature, alongside the two other earlier named potential suitors.
Klopp is believed to view his target as an "ideal partner" for Virgil Van Dijk and is therfore "pushing" the hierarchy to heavily invest in the months ahead, with a £97m release clause set to become active in his contract from 2024.
Is Gvardiol a suitable fit for Liverpool?
Gvardiol has been dubbed "sublime" and a "gladiator" by journalist Ryan Taylor and he would most certainly be the perfect profile of centre-back to put pen to paper at Liverpool in the summer window later in the year.
The left-footed ace is currently averaging 2.4 clearances per league game, showing the rock he can be at the heart of the backline, but he also ranks in the 98th percentile for most successful take-ons, highlighting his desire to drive forward when playing out from the back to push his team as high up the pitch as possible – he also has eight goal contributions during his time at Leipzig.
The Zagreb native also has the versatility to operate at left-back alongside his natural centre-back position, which is a great quality for the boss to have at his disposal given the number of defensive injuries that have occured this season.