Director says Spurs or Man City have not bid for star despite £67m claim

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Josko Gvardiol has plenty of Premier League admirers but RB Leipzig have not received a ‘written offer’ from Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester City, the Bundesliga club’s technical director tells Sky Germany.

Cashing in on star players has almost become something of an annual tradition at the Red Bull Arena. Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahim Konate and Marcel Sabitzer left in 2021. 12 months earlier, top scorer Timo Werner upped sticks and headed for Chelsea.  

Nordi Mukiele, meanwhile, will be a Paris Saint-Germain player next season.

But those hoping to lure Gvardiol away from Leipzig were always likely to be barking up the wrong tree this summer. The 2020 Champions League semi-finals don’t want to sell. And, even more importantly, Gvardiol doesn’t want to go. 

“I really enjoy every day with this great team, at this first-class club,” the 20-year-old Croatia international said back in May. “I don’t think about anything else. And if you ask me if I’ll play here next year? Yes, of course (I will).” 

Josko Gvardiol has ‘a big market’ in the Premier League

Those very public statements of loyalty did not stop a host of Premier League clubs from chancing their arm, however. Fabio Paratici made Gvardiol his top centre-back target before eventually landing Clement Lenglet, per the Daily Mail, with Newcastle United also big admirers. 

Thomas Tuchel called the one-time Leeds target in an attempt to lure him to Chelsea (Sport1).

BILD even claim that Manchester City submitted a £67 million offer. A claim Chris Vivell, Leipzig’s technical director, has wasted no time in refuting. 

“No written offer has been received for Josko Gvardiol. No 80 million euro offer either,” Vivell says; bullish from the Red Bull chief.

“The player has a big market in England, but nothing came officially. (There will be) no sale this summer.” 

Gvardiol still has four years left on his RB Leipzig contract. If reports are to be believed, his market value has tripled less than two years after joining the German giants from sister club Salzburg.