Manchester City have agreed a fee with RB Leipzig to sign defender Josko Gvardiol, according to a report.
Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl confirmed earlier this month that the 21-year-old is keen to join the treble winners this summer, and talks have taken place between the two clubs.
Man City manager Pep Guardiola has identified Gvardiol as his primary summer target after completing the signing of fellow Croatia international Mateo Kovacic last month.
The Citizens' first offer for Gvardiol worth €75m (£64.1m) plus add-ons was allegedly turned down two weeks ago by Leipzig, who have refused to budge from their €100m (£85.4m) valuation of the highly-rated defender.
However, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Man City have now reached a full agreement with Leipzig to sign Gvardiol.
Romano adds that the Croatian completed the first part of his medical on Wednesday, and his move to the Etihad Stadium is 'on the verge' of being finalised.
Man City are understood to have already agreed personal terms with Gvardiol, who could potentially become the most expensive defender in world football.
Indeed, Gvardiol's impending big-money transfer to the Etihad Stadium could eclipse the £80m spent by rivals Man United on centre-back Harry Maguire in 2019.
Gvardiol is set to become the third Leipzig star to swap the Bundesliga for the Premier League this summer after Christopher Nkunku and Dominik Szoboszlai, who have joined Chelsea and Liverpool respectively.
Since joining Leipzig from Dinamo Zagreb in 2020, Gvardiol has established himself as one of the brightest defensive prospects in the world having elevated his game to new heights for club and country.
The youngster played 41 times in all tournaments during the 2022-23 for Leipzig, who lifted a second successive DFB-Pokal and qualified for next season's Champions League courtesy of a third-placed finish in the Bundesliga.
Gvrardiol also chipped in with three goals including a header against none other than Man City in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, which Guardiola's men eventually won 7-1 on aggregate.
The left-footed centre-back, who can also operate at left-back, also found the net in Croatia's third-placed playoff win over Morocco at the 2022 World Cup, and played in every minute of their seven games in Qatar.
Guardiola currently has five centre-back options at his disposal in Ruben Dias, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and Aymeric Laporte, but the latter is seemingly the most likely to depart if Gvardiol completes his move to the Etihad.
Man City have also been linked with another Leipzig star in versatile attacker Dani Olmo, who has reportedly been identified as a potential replacement for Al-Ahli-bound Riyad Mahrez. body check tags ::
