Chelsea had a late bid rejected by RB Leipzig for Josko Gvardiol according to Fabrizio Romano. The 20-year-old Croatian defender had been a known target for the Blues over several months, but it appeared interest had died down once the player signed a contract extension with Leipzig.
However, it is believed Leipzig still had to turn down a late bid from the Blues, with attempts to sign him for next summer as Chelsea are convinced other clubs will join the race for him in 2023.
One of the clubs named was Premier League rivals Manchester City, which is not entirely shocking given the increasing notoriety Gvardiol is gaining for his rapid development at a young age.
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Chelsea invested heavily in new defenders over the summer, signing both Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana, with Thiago Silva, Cesar Azpilicueta and Trevoh Chalobah remaining. Both Ethan Ampadu and Levi Colwill were sent out on loan following the exits of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen to La Liga.
Whether the dismissal of Thomas Tuchel last week will impact the chase for Gvardiol in January at the earliest is unknown, but it is clear the player is one Chelsea have seriously pursued.
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