‘They don’t even need him’: Pundits says Manchester City are about to make an utterly pointless signing

Anton Ferdinand says he does not understand the logic behind Manchester City’s reported interest in RB Leipzig and Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol.

Gvardiol has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League for quite some time.

Chelsea were the favourites to sign him once upon a time, but it is now City who are leading the race and look set to cross the line with no competition in sight.

Leipzig want at least €100million (£85.3million) plus bonuses for the Croatian international, who would vastly improve what is already an unbeliever City machine under Pep Guardiola.

Although he is probably an upgrade on Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji, neither player deserve to have their minutes reduced after brilliant 2022/23 campaigns.

According to Anton Ferdinand, Manchester City are in no need of signing Josko Gvardiol, which is why he is surprised about their interest in his signature.

“They don’t even need him! When he [Nathan Ake] played in a three, he was the left-sided centre-back,” he said via the FIVE YouTube channel.

“I’m going to go, a seven [out of 10], just based on the fact that he’s going to have to learn a lot like every player that comes in their first year ain’t always top, so I’m going to go a seven.”

Ex-Arsenal striker Alan Smith also thinks “the signing of Gvardiol would be a bit of a surprise” given the form of John Stones, Ake, Akanji and Ruben Dias.

“That would be the last area I’d be looking at, but perhaps one or two of their centre halves might leave the club this summer,” Smith told Gambling Zone.

“When you think about their defenders, Stones, Nathan Ake, Akanji, they were brilliant last season. I thought that Akanji had a phenomenal debut campaign. Dias, when he played towards the end of the season, was magnificent.

“I think the signing of Gvardiol would be a bit of a surprise,” he continued.

“It would be just like Guardiola to sign him and then play him in midfield and surprise everyone!

“City seem to have everything. Most importantly, they’ve got the best coach that’s probably ever managed in Pep Guardiola.

Gvardiol is a left-footed centre-back, which in this day and age adds an extra 10 or 20 million to a price tag.

Guardiola has two left-footers in Ake and Aymeric Laporte in his squad at this moment in time, though the latter is expected to leave in the summer transfer window.