Unfinished Business: Players Who Have Returned to Their Clubs
There are few feel-good stories in football as those of players who have returned to their clubs, finishing the unfinished, or helping in times of need.
Just three weeks ago Josko Gvardiol was still a teen, turning 20 on January 23rd. Brought in for €19,000,000 in July of 2021, with the transfer possibly rising to €23,000,000 total, Gvardiol is amongst the priciest teenagers ever, certainly when looking at defenders. Yet he could've had an even higher price tag attached to his name this winter, as RB Leipzig refused a massive offering.
A member of his team of agents, Andy Bara, revealed that RB Leipzig was approached with the offer to triple their investment. Yet the Red Bulls didn't want to hear about it.
The agent was asked whether he was worried Gvardiol moved too quickly to the Bundesliga for staters, and he dismissed the idea easily.
"I wasn't because he will, in my opinion, be one of the world's top three players in the next year or two. Because he has all the predispositions to be. He acclimated very easily, he's a modern player, fast, strong, mentally is healthy. He went to Dani (Olmo) who helped him a lot. I will give you an example, he had Leeds as an option before, who offered more financially but he picked the right road," stated Bara.
With 28 appearances made this season for RB, it's clear that they were right. While considering RB sold two big centre-back prospects for around €40,000,000 each this summer, Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate, the prospect of refusing €60,000,000 is even more impressive.
"We could've sold him easily for €60,000,000, Leipzig wouldn't even discuss about it. At all. We brought in an offer and they wouldn't even want to talk about it. I think he will be the most expensive Croatian player in history."
As of now, that title is held by Mateo Kovacic and his €45,000,000 move to Chelsea. According to the agent, Gvardiol will break it in a year and a half, when he will be just 21.
"I think he will move in the summer of 2023, to a club from the top echelon. Whether Manchester City, Real, Barcelona... He can play in each of those clubs and will spend his entire career there if he picks the right club, to his liking. It will be a sale between €60,000,000 and €80,000,000."
The left-footed defender who can play as a left-back was linked with City in the past, yet he has a deal with the Bundesliga side until 2026.
