Manchester City confident over long-term Josko Gvardiol renewal to end Real Madrid saga | OneFootball

Manchester City are confident of sealing a new contract for Josko Gvardiol until 2031 with an improved salary, as per a new report.

The update represents the clearest and most authoritative signal yet that one of the summer’s most protracted contract situations is on the verge of a resolution, with City having held firm throughout despite weeks of pursuit from Real Madrid.

The development builds on a succession of positive updates this week, including Norwegian media citing a deal until at least 2032 was expected before the start of the new season and reporting from England indicating the latest indications point to the 24-year-old staying on the basis of him being settled in Manchester and at the club.

Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg had previously confirmed Manchester City‘s offer carries improved salary terms as part of the proposal sent to Gvardiol’s representatives, who have received concrete transfer interest from the Santiago Bernabeu.

Romano: City confident, waiting for Gvardiol’s final green light

As reported by transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, City are now confident of sealing a new contract for Gvardiol until 2031 with an improved salary, with the club waiting for the final go-ahead and remaining optimistic despite Real Madrid having attempted for weeks to lure the defender to the Spanish capital.

The mention of Real Madrid’s persistence adds important context to the saga, confirming that the Spanish club’s interest was genuine and sustained rather than merely speculative – making City’s confidence in retaining Gvardiol all the more significant given the level of competition they have had to see off.

Director of football Hugo Viana has made the renewal one of his most pressing priorities all summer, with Gvardiol viewed as the cornerstone around which incoming manager Enzo Maresca will build his defensive unit for the 2026-27 season and beyond.

What is the wider context for Gvardiol’s renewal?

A contract until 2031 would extend Gvardiol’s stay at the Etihad Stadium by three years beyond his current deal, removing him from the market for the foreseeable future and handing Maresca the defensive certainty he needs heading into his first season in charge.

Barcelona had also entered the picture with a concrete offer earlier this week, with the Catalan club vying intensely for Gvardiol’s signature and tabling a fee of over €80 million plus bonuses – a proposal City are understood to have completely blocked as they remained focused on a renewal.

Ruben Dias is mulling over his club future and Nathan Ake is also expected to depart the Etihad Stadium this summer, with City’s defensive unit potentially in line for disruption ahead of Maresca’s arrival.

The final green light from Gvardiol, when it arrives, will represent one of the most important pieces of business Viana completes in what is shaping up to be one of the most consequential summers in the club’s recent history.