Chelsea are in pole position to sign the centre-back according to Gazzetta dello Sport, where he could line up on the left side of Graham Potter’s back three. The Blues have often used a three-man defence during the ex-Brighton man’s tenure, with Marc Cucurella and Kalidou Koulibaly often taking up that role.
In the summer The Telegraph claimed that RB Leipzig’s asking price for Gvardiol was £77.7million, and would represent a significant outlay for Boehly and co having recently spent £75m on Wesley Fofana, £60m on Cucurella and £33m for Koulibaly to improve Chelsea’s defensive options.
A potential fee for Gvardiol could even surpass the previous figure quoted should he continue to shine at the World Cup. Croatia have only conceded once in Qatar, during their 4-1 win over Canada, and interest from fellow Premier League rivals would not shock Potter’s side if the defender continues to impress at the tournament.
