Chelsea to pay world-record fee to sign this player

According to reports, Chelsea have been told pay a world-record fee for a defender if they are to sign Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig this summer.

Chelsea have been linked with the 20-year-old defender who helped Croatia to a third-place in the just concluded World Cup in Qatar.

According to Sky Germany, Gvardiol has a €110 million (£96 million) release clause that becomes active in 2024. £96million is world-record fee for a defender beating the £80million Manchester United paid to sign Harry Maguire from Leicester City in 2019.

RB Leipzig are not ready to part ways with the Croatian this summer as it will cost even more than his release clause to sign the defender next summer.

Chelsea have been strongly linked with the centre-back, but it looks like the Blues face a fight to bring him to west London with Leipzig keen to hold out until 2024.