He’s an elite player’: Tottenham are considering making £80m signing, could equal footballing record – journalist

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Tottenham are keen on signing Josko Gvardiol this summer but if they do want to sign him, it could mean them splashing out a whopping £80m on the RB Leipzig star.

Reports yesterday had claimed that Gvardiol was one the radar for Tottenham ahead of the summer. The Athletic listed Gvardiol among a host of defensive targets for Spurs, although the Croatian is said to be the number one target for Antonio Conte.

However, according to The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke, Tottenham could be forced to shell out a fee to match the £80m Manchester United paid for Harry Maguire to land Gvardiol. Of course, that fee made Maguire the most expensive defender in the world at the time.

“Gvardiol is really highly rated at Leipzig, so much so that if Tottenham were to get him I think it would be comfortably the biggest fee Tottenham have ever paid. Tottenham paid £55 million for Tanguy Ndombele in 2019, it’s possible that Gvardiol would be as much as £70 or £80 million,” Pitt-Brooke said on The View From The Lane Pod.

“He’s an elite player and someone who, if he doesn’t go to Tottenham, I imagine will end up at City, Liverpool, Bayern, Barca – that level of club. He’d probably be the most expensive of the options, which maybe makes him a bit of a stretch.”

Spurs will be turning the move of Cristian Romero permanent in the summer, while Eric Dier has also done well this season. A left-sided centre-back – which Gvardiol is – could be ideal for Spurs.

TBR’s View: Gvardiol Would Be First-Class For Tottenham

If Tottenham did pull this off, even at the £70-80m fee, then it would be a genius move by Fabio Paratici. Gvardiol is brilliant and is only going to get better and better.

Of course, Daniel Levy and the Spurs ownership will need to back Conte with the money here. But you do feel, especially if they get the top four, that Conte will be backed.

A back three of Gvardiol, Dier, and Romero should be enough for Tottenham to challenge.