Humiliating Man City update with unprecedented transfer ‘not close’ despite Fabrizio Romano claim

Pep Guardiola will be frustrated after learning Manchester City are not as close to signing one of their primary summer targets as originally thought.

City have captured one new player so far this summer, with Mateo Kovacic arriving in a £25million deal from Premier League rivals Chelsea. The treble winners managed to get Kovacic for a reduced price after he entered the final 12 months of his contract at Stamford Bridge.

The 29-year-old will replace Ilkay Gundogan at the Etihad, following the German’s move to Barcelona on a free transfer.

City are hopeful of uniting Kovacic with his Croatia team-mate Josko Gvardiol at club level.

The centre-back has previously been named as a target for Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, while Chelsea have failed with an offer to sign him in the past.

But City moved into pole position to sign Gvardiol on July 2 by agreeing personal terms with him.

READ MORE: Man Utd urged to let Man City complete key signing, with Ten Hag told ‘nightmare’ player will prove his worth

On Wednesday, transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano gave Gvardiol’s move to City his customary ‘here we go’ treatment. Romano claimed the deal between City and Leipzig was ‘on the verge of being signed’ and that the defender had already completed the first part of his medical.

However, it does not look like City are as close to completing the transfer as Romano stated.

Man City move the subject of ‘conflicting reports’

During an appearance on Sky Sports News, fellow journalist Kaveh Solhekol played down the rumours by saying: “Conflicting reports about what’s going on with Gvardiol. There have been some reports that a deal has almost been agreed and is very, very close. This morning I’ve been speaking to some of my colleagues at Sky Germany and they have very good contacts at his club, RB Leipzig.

“They are saying that as far as Leipzig are concerned, a deal is not close. They value the player at about 100 million euros, if he was to move for that it would make him the most expensive defender in the world, that would be around £86m.

“But Sky Germany are telling us this morning that as far as Leipzig are concerned, there is still a chance he may stay at the club. That could just be a negotiating tactic, maybe they want to get the news out there that they’re not going to let him go on the cheap.

“But I think it’s an open secret that Guardiola wants the player, he’s one of the best young centre-backs in the world, has played really well for Leipzig over the last couple of seasons. He impressed at the World Cup as well, although he was given the run-a-round by Lionel Messi in an infamous incident. Apart from that, he helped Croatia to a third-place finish.

“He almost moved to Chelsea I think a year ago before he signed a new contract at Leipzig. So if City were to get him, I think it would be a fantastic signing but I don’t think they’ll be able to get him on the cheap. It will have to be a world record fee for a defender.”

It seems City still have some work to do before they can announce Gvardiol as their latest new recruit.

One player who will be delighted if City do manage to sign Gvardiol is Manchester United’s Harry Maguire. Since he became the world’s most expensive defender in 2019 – as Man Utd paid £80m for him – the feat has been used as a stick to beat Maguire with.

Gvardiol breaking that record with an £86m move would reduce the pressure on Maguire somewhat. Of course, it would put the 21-year-old under immense pressure too, but he appears to have the elite mentality needed to cope with it.

Meanwhile, a senior City player has told Guardiola he is intent on leaving for a European giant this summer, as per one journalist.