Chelsea miss out on deadline-day transfer as £77m defender target agrees new RB Leipzig deal

Josko Gvardiol has agreed a one-year contract extension at Red Bull Leipzig putting to an end Chelsea’s interest in the defender.

The talented Croatia centre-back had been on the radar of Chelsea in the transfer window. In fact Fabrizio Romano claimed Thomas Tuchel was intent on capturing Gvardiol and the player was fast becoming Tuchel’s No 1 target.

Romano stated the Blues were in ‘advanced talks’ with Leipzig over the defender after launching a £77m bid.

The plan from Chelsea’s perspective was to send Gvardiol back on loan for the remainder of this season before seeing him arrive next summer.

But Leipzig have had other ideas and CEO Oliver Mintzlaff suggested as much.

Mintzlaff told BILD: “Josko is a great player who will certainly arouse a lot of interest – he still has a contract with us until 2026. We assume that he will not only play with us this season, but also next season.”

And now the ninth-placed Bundesliga club have announced the player has signed a contract renewal until 2027.

Gvardiol ‘grateful’ to Leipzig

“Josko stays! RB Leipzig and Joško Gvardiol have agreed a contract extension, previously expiring in 2026, to run through until 2027,” read a statement from the club.

Gvardiol added: “I am very happy to have signed an early contract extension through 2027, because there is a lot more that I want to achieve with RB Leipzig.

“I can sense the club’s desire to help further my development. We are back in the Champions League, we won the DFB-Pokal last year and want to play for trophies once again this season.

“I am very grateful to the club’s executives for including me in their long-term plans and want to continue their path with me on board.”