Manchester City 'agree £78m deal for Josko Gvardiol with RB Leipzig'

Manchester City have reportedly agreed a £78million deal with RB Leipzig for defender Josko Gvardiol.

Paperwork still needs to be signed but the move could rise as high as £86m with add-ons, say Sky Sport Germany, which would make the Croatian the most expensive defender in history.

Mail Sport reported on Tuesday that Pep Guardiola's side want to get the transfer over the line before their Community Shield showdown with Arsenal on Sunday.

The Leipzig defender is not in the squad for today's double header of fixtures against Sint-Truidense and Altglienicke, though he is in the stands as a spectator.

This is according to BILD, who claim the transfer will be made official in the next few days.

Gvardiol's old club in Croatia, Dinamo Zagreb, are set to received 20% of the transfer fee, which would represent major income for the country's biggest club.

City identified the 21-year-old as a key target several months ago and had been told by Leipzig to complete the deal by the start of the Premier League season.

The German club were keen for negotiations not to drag on while Guardiola has been eager to get his man through the door.

Mateo Kovacic, Gvardiol's Croatia team-mate and a new City man himself, said Gvardiol is ready for this next step in his career.

He said: 'Josko has great potential. He can come here and learn and be the best version of himself. I’d obviously like it — I’m a good friend with him and he’s Croatian. It would be nice to have a Croatian by my side here.