Manchester City’s plan to keep Gvardiol as European giants are interested for a summer move
Manchester City are in a spot they know all too well: fighting to keep a grip on one of their top talents. According to TEAMtalk, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have both reached out to Josko Gvardiol’s camp to see where things stand before the summer window opens.
Manchester City aren’t just sitting back while the noise grows around the 24-year-old Croatian. Sporting director Hugo Viana, fresh off locking down Ruben Dias, Rico Lewis, and Savinho this season, has put Gvardiol at the top of his to-do list. He’s reportedly tabled a massive new offer that would keep the defender at the Etihad until 2033.
Gvardiol joined from RB Leipzig for roughly £77 million back in 2023 and wasted no time becoming a vital part of Pep Guardiola’s backline. His season hit a major roadblock on January 4, 2026, when a broken shinbone against Chelsea forced him into surgery and a long spell on the sidelines. Up until that injury, his stats were impressive: 1.10 tackles and 0.90 interceptions per 90, 4.14 clearances a game, and 7 clean sheets in 16 league matches.
City only conceded every 109 minutes while he was out there. He’s clearly got the composure and the tactical brain, but the big worry now is his fitness; this season’s injury record makes people wonder if his body can handle the constant grind of elite football. Real Madrid, reportedly egged on by a recommendation from Luka Modric, view Gvardiol as the perfect successor to Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba as they both climb into their mid-30s.
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Should Manchester City actually worry about losing Gvardiol this summer?
Manchester City should be concerned, even if it’s not time to panic just yet. Guardiola himself recently admitted, “I have no info. I would love Gvardiol to stay here,” which doesn’t exactly sound like a man who feels the situation is settled. That 2033 contract offer proves City are serious, but a piece of paper doesn’t always close the deal.
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Gvardiol is only 24 and has the world’s two biggest clubs knocking on his door, but he’s the one with the control right now. Manchester City have the money to keep anyone, but the real challenge is the pitch. They need to prove that the 2026/27 project under Pep is still the best place for his career. Given City’s recent stumbles in the Premier League, that’s a tougher argument to make than it used to be.
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