Tottenham are targeting a summer move for Red Bull Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.
The 20-year old Croatia international has jumped ahead of Villarreal’s Pau Torres and Lille’s Sven Botman as Tottenham managing director of football Fabio Paratici assesses defensive options for the end of the season.
Gvardiol has excelled during his time at Leipzig who he joined from Dinamo Zagreb after turning down an £18million move to Leeds United in 2020.
Though he is not the tallest at 6ft 1ins, he has a great leap, is combative, quick, technically good on the ball and has an eye for a pass. He can also fit in at left back and defensive midfield but he is fast earning a reputation as one of the best up and coming central defenders in Europe.
He has made 33 appearances for Leipzig this season scoring two goals and making three assists and has been capped nine times by Croatia.
Leipzig bought him for £15m and put him in a five year contract. They will be reluctant to sell but are aware of increasing interest ahead of the summer window.
Paratici knows he has to deliver quality signings to convince Antonio Conte of staying beyond this season after a series of erratic and disappointing displays from Tottenham culminating in this week’s FA Cup defeat to Middlesbrough.
Conte wants talented, tough working characters in his squad and Gvardiol is showing all the necessary attributes. The question though could well be whether Tottenham will prove attractive enough as competition for a player billed as ‘the most progressive defender in the Bundesliga’ continues to build.
Clubs in Spain and Italy are monitoring developments but Leipzig’s likely £50m valuation would point to a deal with the more affluent English Premier League sides.
