Many Leeds United supporters have flocked to a Twitter post from journalist Fabrizio Romano, in which he reported that the club have made a new bid to sign Josko Gvardiol from Dinamo Zagreb.
According to Romano, the Whites have offered €22m (£19.9m) and a 20% percentage on any future sale. He also added that the player’s current employers are looking for €25m and the Bundesliga club RB Leipzig have also expressed an interest.
Gvardiol is a centre-back and despite the club recently adding Robin Koch to the squad after failing in their attempts to re-sign Ben White from Brighton it appears they are very much in the market for another defender. Here is how a sample of the Elland Road faithful have responded to this latest update regarding the club’s interest in the 18-year-old.
Another club who now want more money than was initially agreed, are we really that desperate to be paying over €65m on 2 players when we could have got same players for €49m
— Mark??? (@MarkSheppy67) September 8, 2020
This isn’t De Paul.
— Alex (@AJG8701) September 8, 2020
Better off Upping De Paul offer to €40 million Instead of wasting €22 million on an unknown.
— borisirishwhite (@leinsterwhite) September 8, 2020
Give him to Leipzig we shouldn’t be spending 22 million on some unknown 18 year old
— ?MOTSINCE1919? (@motsince1919_) September 8, 2020
If the next highest bid is 15m Leeds should be offering less not more lol
— Paul Moran (@MD_Leeds) September 8, 2020
Do you fear Leeds may overpay for Gvardiol?
Yes
No
Despite the large transfer fee that is being discussed for the 18-year-old, it is probably worth noting that he has only appeared 13 times for the Dinamo Zagreb first-team (as per Transfermarkt.co.uk) – highlighting that he has had very little experience of top-flight football so far. Taking that into consideration, you can understand why some supporters are concerned about spending such a large sum of money on somebody they know very little about.
One fan, however, insisted that Leeds should meet the asking price for Gvardiol because, in his view, Marcelo Bielsa will improve the player significantly.
Just give the €3m extra. Probably work more when his value goes up after Bielsa turns him into fine wine
— Parma (@Hello_Parma) September 8, 2020
Good to hear this! We mean businesssssss https://t.co/MO61iAAxgn
— Ben (@BensKoch) September 8, 2020
Wow #lufc https://t.co/IlesE821s0
— The Adelites (@theadelites) September 8, 2020
Leeds are preparing for their first Premier League campaign in 16 years and although, in our view, strengthening this summer was a must, given his little experience, it can certainly be argued that in investing heavily in the Croatian U21 international, the club would be taking a significant risk.