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Manchester City have reached an agreement to sell Riyad Mahrez to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli for €30 million plus €5 million in add-ons. This deal will open up the necessary funds for Man City to sign defender Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig. The Premier League champions are expected to pay around €100 million for the Croatian center-back, making him the most expensive center-back in history.
One reason why Man City is willing to pay such a high fee for Gvardiol is his impressive Goalimpact, which measures the extent to which a player contributes to a team’s goal difference. Gvardiol’s Goalimpact has been steadily rising and peaked at 154.4 in the 2022/23 season. This is comparable to current Man City defender Rúben Dias, who has a Goalimpact of 179.8, considered World-class. Gvardiol has shown his high level of performance for Leipzig and helped lead Croatia to a third-place finish in the World Cup.
The transfer fee involved in this deal shows the financial capabilities of Man City. However, they still had to generate funds before completing the Gvardiol deal due to new Financial Fair Play regulations and investigations into the club’s finances. The sale of Mahrez to Al-Ahli provided the necessary financial freedom for Man City to proceed with the signing.
Gvardiol’s performance statistics for Leipzig further highlight his importance to the team. He ranked second among all Leipzig center-backs in categories such as total duels won, aerial duels won, total passes, and touches. These statistics demonstrate his value as a key player for Leipzig.
Although Gvardiol has the potential to become one of the best defenders in the World, it should be noted that he is still young and will need time to develop and adapt to Pep Guardiola’s system. Nevertheless, Man City is willing to invest in his future and secure his services for the coming seasons.
Overall, the agreed deal to sell Mahrez to Al-Ahli will allow Man City to complete the signing of Gvardiol, making him the most expensive center-back in history. The club’s financial capabilities and Gvardiol’s potential have driven this high-stakes transfer, and Man City will be hoping for a successful partnership with the Croatian in the future.
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