Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur look to have been handed a major blow in the race to sign Josko Gvardiol, with the 20-year-old reportedly set to pen a new deal at RB Leipzig. The defender has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League, but Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte may now have to wait until next summer until an agreement can be reached.
According to Croatian outlet Sportske, Gvardiol is set to agree a new deal at the Red Bull Arena, ending the London rivals' hopes of signing the defender. The report claims that the contract will include a release clause worth more than €50million (£43m), leaving the door open to a future move.
Having courted interest from a handful of Europe's leading sides, it's said that Gvardiol was in no hurry to decide his future. The youngster, who is regarded as one of football's hottest prospects, enjoyed an exciting breakthrough campaign in the Bundesliga this season, featuring 29 times for Leipzig across the backline.
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Last month, a report from Croatia claimed that Gvardiol's father flew to London to discuss a possible move to Stamford Bridge with head coach Tuchel. The Croatia international has reportedly been eyed as a perfect replacement for Antonio Rudiger on the left of a back-three.
Meanwhile, Spurs were believed to be close to securing Gvardiol's services after making contact with the Bundesliga outfit, according to GFFN. But, neither Chelsea nor Tottenham have been able to reach an agreement - as of yet.
Gvardiol is a left-footed defender who is comfortable when in possession. He's earned a reputation for his composure and ability to progress the ball through the thirds from deep - the epitome of an all-encompassing modern centre-back.
And, it's no surprise why former head coach of Dinamo Zagreb has lauded the youngster for his unique ability. Speaking to Scouted Football, Zoran Mamić detailed why Gvardiol could be perfect for Tuchel's back-three philosophy: "With his abilities, in every league, something different is the most important," he said.
"He has all of it. If he goes to Germany, he can play high; he can play dynamic football when you go up and down all the time. For example, they play with three centre-backs because they play 3-5-2 in Germany. He can play that."
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