Josko Gvardiol expected to sign bumper Man City contract extension to reject Real Madrid move | OneFootball

Josko Gvardiol is expected to sign a new Manchester City contract running until at least 2032 before the start of the new season, as per reports from Croatia.

The update from the same Croatian outlet that triggered the initial exit speculation weeks ago represents perhaps the most concrete signal yet that one of the summer’s most closely watched contract sagas is heading towards a positive conclusion for Manchester City before pre-season gets underway next month.

The development builds on a series of updates this week pointing firmly in City’s favour, with Fabrizio Romano having reported the club are optimistic of receiving Gvardiol’s personal green light on improved contract terms and Sam Lee of The Athletic indicating the defender is settled in Manchester and at the club.

Report: Gvardiol set to commit future to City before new season

As per Sportske Novosti and relayed by The Croatian on X, Gvardiol is expected to sign a new Manchester City contract until at least 2032 before the start of the new season, bringing to a close a saga that has dominated much of the club’s summer since Pep Guardiola‘s departure from the Etihad Stadium last month.

The report from Croatia is notable given its source – the outlet whose claims earlier this summer that Gvardiol wanted to leave had generated significant attention and prompted a series of responses from City’s hierarchy.

That the same publication is now reporting an imminent renewal reflects how dramatically the situation has shifted since those initial stories emerged.

Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg had previously stated that City’s offer runs to 2031 with improved salary terms, making the new update a slight extension on that figure.

Director of football Hugo Viana has made Gvardiol’s renewal his most pressing defensive priority all summer, with the 24-year-old viewed as the cornerstone around which incoming manager Enzo Maresca will build his backline in the years ahead.

Real Madrid and Barcelona both retain contingent interest should talks collapse, though Sportske Novosti’s update suggests that scenario is now looking increasingly unlikely before the window opens in full.

What is the wider context for Gvardiol’s renewal?

A contract until at least 2032 would represent a significant long-term commitment from both parties, extending Gvardiol’s stay at the Etihad Stadium by four years beyond his current deal and removing him from the market entirely for the foreseeable future.

With Ruben Dias also understood to be mulling over his club future and Marc Guehi having established himself as a reliable presence since his January arrival, City’s defensive core under Maresca is beginning to take shape in encouraging fashion.

Gvardiol himself told Croatian media last week that he was happy at City and would assess his future after the FIFA World Cup with Croatia, with the tournament now approaching its knockout rounds and a resolution on his club future appearing closer than ever.