Jose Mourinho targets wantaway Manchester City defender as hallmark Real Madrid signing | OneFootball

Manchester City star Josko Gvardiol has emerged as a top transfer target for incoming Real Madrid Jose Mourinho this summer, as per a recent report.

Following club president Florentino Perez’s recent re-election, Mourinho is expected to be official unveiled as Real Madrid manager on Wednesday after Los Blancos parted ways with former manager and defender Alvaro Arbeloa, who was in charge for just under five months.

Gvardiol joined Manchester City from RB Leipzig on a five-year deal for a reported fee of around €90 million in 2023.

The 24-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium following Pep Guardiola’s departure in May and has since attracted attention from several other top clubs, including Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Report: Man City’s Josko Gvardiol on ‘Jose Mourinho’s list’

Real Madrid have been unable to lift any major trophy in the last two seasons, despite having a star-studded team, anticipating a busy summer transfer window for Los Blancos in order to bolster their squad for the upcoming campaign.

With respect to strengthening their backline, the Spanish giants have reportedly already signed centre-back Ibrahima Konate and right-back Denzel Dumfries, with official announcements pending – and are now focused on bringing on reinforcements elsewhere.

Gvardiol is among Mourinho’s top choices to sign in the role as the Portuguese coach eyes a defender who can play in multiple positions, essentially a left-back who can also operate as a centre-back, as reported by AS and relayed by Sport Witness.

The 63-year-old, who has returned to Real Madrid for his second managerial stint in the Spanish capital, is aiming to build a defence capable of smoothly transitioning between a back four and a back three on the pitch.

While the versatile Manchester City checks all the boxes for Mourinho, the aforementioned report further suggested that Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori is one of his top targets.

The Italian defender shares a previous association with the manager during their respective tenure at AS Roma.

What’s next for Man City’s Josko Gvardiol?

In the past three seasons, Gvardiol has registered a total of 122 appearances at Manchester City, netting 13 goals and providing 10 assists, while winning six major trophies.

While he has been a key player under Guardiola, the Croatian suffered a tibial fracture in the recent campaign that sidelined him for several months, restricting him to feature in just 18 Premier League games and five UEFA Champions League matches.

Despite reported uncertainties about his future at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City believe that the Dinamo Zagreb graduate will continue at the Etihad Stadium and are feeling positive in conversations around a possible contract extension.

The left-back recently addressed the speculations, mentioning he was happy at the English side but would assess the situation after the upcoming FIFA World Cup in North America.

If Gvardiol decides to part ways with the Premier League giants, Manchester City are expected to demand a substantial fee, considering the hefty price tag that he came with from Germany three years ago.