Real Madrid, Barcelona eye Gvardiol if City deal stalls

Real Madrid and Barcelona remain interested in Josko Gvardiol if he does not sign a new contract with Manchester City. Manchester City have offered the 24‑year‑old defender a deal lasting until 2031 with improved salary terms. Barcelona have tabled an offer worth over €80 million plus bonuses, which City have blocked, while City’s minimum valuation sits at €90 million. Gvardiol’s current contract with Manchester City runs until 2028. The club says he is settled in Manchester and expects his decision after the FIFA World Cup. City remain optimistic of receiving his personal green light despite Pep Guardiola’s departure. Hugo Viana, director of football at Manchester City, has stated he will not consider bids below the fee paid to RB Leipzig in 2023. Simon Jones of Mail Sport reported that both Spanish giants are monitoring the contract talks from a distance and are ready to act should negotiations break down.

Barcelona joins race for Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol

Direct conversations between Gvardiol and incoming manager Enzo Maresca are expected once Croatia’s World Cup campaign ends, with those talks likely to determine his future. Bayern Munich have been ruled out as an option for the defender. City aim to finalize the renewal quickly to avoid further uncertainty in a defensive line that could also lose Ruben Dias this summer, after the departure of John Stones. A swift agreement would remove the final layer of doubt surrounding the club’s back‑line.