Manchester City set to intensify efforts to sign defender who is a boyhood Liverpool fan: Reports

Manchester City are ready to step up their interest in RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, who previously expressed a desire to join Liverpool, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The Cityzens are one step away from winning the treble, having bagged the Premier League and the FA Cup. They will be keen to get their hands on the coveted UEFA Champions League when they face Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul on Saturday (June 10).

Meanwhile, Manchester City have one eye on the next season, with planning for the summer transfer window underway. They are already working on a deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic.

The defense is another area the Premier League champions could look to strengthen ahead of the 2023-24 season. Pep Guardiola's side could shell out a significant amount of money to sign a new central defender after Aymeric Laporte cast doubt over his future at the club. Speaking after City's FA Cup final win against Manchester United at the weekend, he said:

"I can’t talk about these things (future). Personally, (I've enjoyed this season) much less than other seasons. It’s true that I’ve played a bit less but the most important thing is the team, the points, the matches and the trophies."

Laporte, whose contract runs until 2025, has clocked just 1,861 minutes of action across competitions for Manchester City this season. The defender is keen to play more regularly and is considering his options ahead of next season, according to the aforementioned source.

The Cityzens will seemingly not stand in Laporte's way if he wishes to leave and are already drawing up replacement plans. As per the report, they are set to intensify their interest in Leipzig's Gvardiol.

Manchester City have a long-standing interest in Gvardiol and reportedly view him as the ideal replacement for Laporte. The Croatian has a €114 million release clause in his Leipzig contract, which runs until 2027. However, the Bundesliga club could cash in on him for €100 million if the report is to be believed.

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Manchester City target Josko Gvardiol is a Liverpool fan

Liverpool have previously been credited with an interest in signing Josko Gvardiol. The central defender, meanwhile, expressed his admiration for the Reds in an interview in January. Asked which club he dreamed of playing for as a boy, he said:

"It would definitely be Liverpool. I watched a lot of Liverpool games with my father and covered every season in detail. It's a club that has stayed in my heart."

However, there are no signs that Liverpool are interested in signing Gvardiol this summer. Jurgen Klopp's side have set their sights on reinforcing their midfield, with two or three additions planned in the position.

According to The Daily Telegraph, Gvardiol, 21, is open to joining Manchester City this summer. It thus remains to be seen if the Cityzens can strike a deal with Leipzig to sign him.

Gvardiol joined the Bundesliga club from Dinamo Zagreb for €18 million in 2021. He has since made 87 appearances across competitions for them, bagging five goals and three assists in the process. The defender has won two German Cups with Die Rotten Bullen.