Josko Gvardiol has given the clearest indication yet that he wants to join Chelsea.
The Blues have long been linked with a move for the Croatian defender, who is reportedly rated at around £110million by RB Leipzig.
Speaking to The Times, Gvardiol spoke of his admiration for Christopher Nkunku and outlined his desire to follow the French striker, who is set to sign for Chelsea in the summer in a virtually-agreed £55m deal.
“I have never seen before a player like Christoph, he is unbelievable,” Gvardiol stated.
“Every time I talk with someone about him I always say wherever he goes I want to go with him.”
Gvardiol has admitted to being “confused” by Leipzig’s insistence not to sell him in recent transfer windows, with Chelsea facing rivarly from Manchester City and Barcelona for his signature.
“I was really confused because one month before the window starts I was upstairs with the sporting director and he says, ‘Yeah Josko, we are not going to sell you, we need you, we believe in you,’ and I was like ‘Okay I am fine with this’,” said the 21-year-old.
“I can stay here, I like it here, all I need is to work on myself, to play, to win something else. It was like this until the last two days.
“My agent called me and said that Chelsea are extremely interested and, of course, you definitely think about a serious offer from a huge club like Chelsea. Leipzig said they didn’t want to sell me.
“In the end I really struggled with that decision but we didn’t make an agreement. It is what it is. I am here and I am fine with this because my idea had been to stay here. One season was not enough. This is my second season, even one more season would be great but we will see.”