06 August 2023 , 07:44
423
0
Manchester City new boy Josko Gvardiol has all the ingredients to become the best defender on the planet, according to TNT Sports pundit, Owen Hargreaves.
And so taken with the 21-year-old Croatian is former City star Hargreaves that he reckons he could have been put together by scientists trying to create the perfect footballing specimen. TNT pundit Hargreaves said: “He will be the best centre-back in the world. Maybe not this year but he will be one day.
“He pretty much has everything. You get a feel for players — the decisions they make, the way they do certain things and just his size.
"He can play multiple positions, he’s a centre-back but he can play left-back, he’s incredibly good at coming out with the ball, dribbling, and he is a great passer, he is strong. It’s like he was created in a lab to be a player and technically he’s very unique.”
City finally reached an agreement to buy Gvardiol from RB Leipzig last week for £77million. The former Dynamo Zagreb starlet follows midfielder Matteo Kovacic through the door at the Etihad and his arrival is likely to spell the end of Aymeric Laporte’s time in Manchester.
Pep Guardiola went back on his word after blocking last-ditch Barcelona transfer
As for Kovacic, Hargreaves is surprised Chelsea let him go and the same applies to the departures of Mason Mount to Manchester United and Kai Havertz to Arsenal. He added: “If I was Chelsea I’d be slightly aware that all the best teams want our players and you’re happy to sell them.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Can anyone stop Man City winning the Premier League this season? Comment below.
Owen Hargreaves has lauded the new City signing (TNT SPORTS/C1 MEDIA)
Gavrdiol has joined on a £77 million deal (Stefan Matzke - sampics/Corbis via Getty Images)“If I’d finished 12th I wouldn’t be giving away my best guys, I’d be trying to keep the best and get better. I understand they had to do some things, but come on.”
Despite the transfer being completed, Gvardiol was not registered in time to make his City debut against Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday. The two sides meet at Wembley just five days before Guardiola's men open the defence of their Premier League title at Burnley on Friday.
TNT Sports is the ultimate home for sports fans. You can watch on all major TV platforms including BT TV, Sky and Virgin Media. As the new streaming destination for TNT Sports, discovery+ offers an unrivalled combination of live sport rights – including Eurosport – together with entertainment in one place. This isn’t Just Sport, This is Everything. For more info visit: tntsports.co.uk.