DREAM TEAM managers will have to cough up £5million of their initial £50million budget if they wish to back Josko Gvardiol ahead of Gameweek 1.
The Croatian defender has been added to the game at the same price as John Stones (£5m), Luke Shaw (£5m) and Virgil van Dijk (£5m), three defenders who have produced plenty of points between them in recent years.
So why has Manchester City’s new signing been slapped with such a costly price tag when he’s unproven on English shores?
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Firstly, Gvardiol arrives with a flattering reputation; during the 2022 World Cup, his national manager Zlatko Dalic dubbed him “the best centre-back in the world”.
The 21-year-old’s stock went through the roof during the tournament in Qatar thanks to a series of impressive performances, although his share price dipped a fraction when he became the victim of a classic Lionel Messi dribble in the semi-finals.
In terms of his profile, Gvardiol seems perfectly suited to Pep Guardiola’s system.
His most natural role is the one Nathan Ake (£4m) predominantly occupied last season, left-back/left-sided centre-back depending on the phase of play.
While the Dutchman is comfortable in possession, Gvardiol is considerably more ambitious – he carries the ball more often, in an elegant manner too.
The former RB Leipzig defender is also capable of accurate long balls for runners in behind, something Erling Haaland (£8.5m) would welcome at the Etihad.
Ake is the superior defender in one-on-one situations out wide but Gvardiol is an excellent reader of the game, one who plays with a maturity beyond his years – as evidenced best by his majestic showing against Brazil in Qatar.
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One of the major changes Guardiola implemented during City’s treble-winning campaign was the positioning of accomplished defenders (centre-backs by trade) either side of Ruben Dias (£5.5m) while Stones occupied the hybrid role.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (£3.5m) and Joao Cancelo (£4m) were replaced with Manuel Akanji (£4.5m) and Ake, making City less vulnerable to counterattacks – Gvardiol fits right in.
However, it remains to be seen how quickly the new recruit will adjust to his new surroundings.
Several high-profile players have required bedding-in time at the Etihad and, more generally, the transition from Bundesliga to Premier League has proved difficult in recent years.
Will Gvardiol be thrust straight into City’s first-choice XI or will Guardiola show patience?
It’s this question that may mean Dream Team bosses choose to wait and see rather than forking out £5million of their budget prior to Gameweek 1.
With two weekly transfers available this season, it will be easy enough for gaffers to recruit City’s new No24 if he hits the ground running.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
