Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are still said to be rivalling one another for the signing of Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig. The 20-year-old defender was heavily linked with a move to the Premier League in the summer, but a switch failed to materialise after penning a five-year deal with the German giants.
However, the signing of a new contract at the Red Bull Arena look to have been a ploy to earn a greater fee for one of Europe's leading young centre-backs. It's believed that the pair of London clubs face great competition for the Croatia international's services as both Graham Potter and Antonio Conte look to bolster their respective backlines.
According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Inter Milan have joined the Blues and Spurs in the 'very heated' race to sign Gvardiol.
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In May, a report from Croatia claimed that the youngster's father flew to London to discuss a possible move with former head coach Thomas Tuchel. The £96.3million-rated defender was reportedly eyed as a perfect replacement for Antonio Rudiger on the left of a back-three by the German.
Last month, Mateo Kovacic revealed the role that he played in Chelsea's move for Gvardiol. Speaking to football.london in the pre-match press conference ahead of the west Londoners' Champions League group stage opener with Dinamo Zagreb, the Blues midfielder said he is hopeful of playing with his fellow countryman at club level one day.
"At the club, they asked me about Josko, I told them all the best," Kovacic said. "I don't need to say anything about his football. They know what kind of player he is, and his character is excellent.
"I have seen in the national team how eager he is to play, he has a great career ahead of him, and I hope that one day we will play together in the club."
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