- Man City have offered Josko Gvardiol a significantly richer new contract, as per reports.
- Croatian is entering the last two years of his current deal, underlining the urgency for a renewal
- Real Madrid are among the elite clubs who have long held an interest in the 24-year-old
Manchester City are prioritising a contract renewal for Josko Gvardiol as the Croatian makes his way back to full fitness, as per reports from Croatia.
City have prepared a lucrative offer for the versatile defender that would tie him to the club for the seasons to come and hand him a substantial pay rise to reflect his outstanding contributions to the eight-time Premier League champions in recent seasons.
Director of football Hugo Viana has already secured new deals for several key players – including Ruben Dias, Rico Lewis, Savinho and Marcus Bettinelli – this season and is keen to add Gvardiol’s signature to that list before the summer window opens.
Manchester City table lucrative contract extention till 2033 for Josko Gvardiol
Gvardiol has been sidelined since January with a tibial fracture but remains one of the most important players in Pep Guardiola‘s squad, having excelled at left-back throughout the 2024-25 campaign and established himself as one of the finest young defenders in world football since joining from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023.
Report: City offer Gvardiol significantly richer deal
According to Sportske Novosti, Manchester City have tabled a new and significantly richer contract for Gvardiol, with the Croatian entering the final two years of his current deal and pressure growing on both parties to reach an agreement ahead of 2027.
The report notes that Gvardiol has been on the radar of almost all elite clubs in European football for some time, with Real Madrid described as a long-standing admirer of the 24-year-old.
City’s desire to tie him down to a long-term extension reflects just how central he is to the club’s plans under Guardiola and beyond, having proven his value to his manager in various positions and roles since his arrival to England from the Bundesliga.
What is the wider context for City’s contract push?
Gvardiol’s situation is one Viana will be eager to resolve quickly. With club captain Bernardo Silva and John Stones both confirmed as departing this summer, City cannot afford further high-profile exits, particularly of a player of Gvardiol’s age and quality, who is only going to improve in the years ahead.
Real Madrid’s interest, however dormant it may currently appear, is the kind of background noise that can quickly grow louder the closer a player gets to the final year of his contract.
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City will be well aware of that and the speed with which they have moved to table an improved offer suggests they have no intention of letting the situation drift into uncertainty.