Treble winners Manchester City have finally confirmed the capture of highly-rated defender Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig in a deal worth approximately £77.6m and already, speculation about the Croatian’s salary package has been rife.
The 21-year-old has penned a five-year contract with Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Cityzens and Gvardiol is expected to become a mainstay of the City defence during his time in Manchester.
Gvardiol is the second new face through the door at The Etihad Stadium this summer after compatriot Mateo Kovacic, who sealed a switch north from Chelsea earlier in the window.
The ex-Dinamo Zagreb youngster told City’s official website: “I have always dreamed of one day playing in England and to be doing so now with Manchester City – after the season they have just had – is a real honour for me.
“To be joining City is something very special for me and my family. To have the chance to work with Pep Guardiola will be amazing. I know I am not yet the finished article and I am sure my game will progress under the best coach in football.”
Gvardiol, who joins a star-studded cast at City, is set to earn a massive pay rise following his transfer from RB Leipzig – but just how money cash is the centre-half set to pocket? Let’s take a closer look.
Josko Gvardiol’s Man City salary details revealed
Like virtually all professional footballers, the exact terms of Josko Gvardiol’s Manchester City haven’t been disclosed, but we can put together a decent estimate on what the 21-year-old should earn as a basic package based on the information we can garner from elsewhere.
In 2022, Gvardiol signed a new contract with former club RB Leipzig that was believed to be worth around £59,000 per week and his move to Man City should vastly improve on that already meaty pay packet.
Belgian midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne is officially the highest current earner at City with his contract thought to pay the schemer in and around £400,000, while Norwegian goal-machine Erling Haaland takes home a similar salary from the club.
While Gvardiol is unlikely to match that kind of earning power in Manchester, there is every chance that the 21-year-old could become the best-paid defender at City following his switch from the Bundesliga.
Currently, Portuguese international Ruben Dias and Swiss regular Manuel Akanji are listed as the defenders with the highest salaries at City with the centre-backs both paid around £180,000, according to website Spotrac.
Gvardiol, who could make his debut against Burnley on Friday, is likely to have been offered similar terms to that duo, potentially placing his wages in the £180,000 to £200,000 range.
If Gvardiol’s City contract does land in the higher register of that range, then he could join a select group of teammates in Manchester.
At present, seven players earn north of £200,000 per week with the Cityzens and alongside the aforementioned De Bruyne and Haaland, Jack Grealish, Joao Cancelo, John Stones, Phil Foden and Champions League Final goal hero Rodri have all jumped that particular pay hurdle at City.
The terms of Josko Gvardiol’s five-year deal with the club could push him into the same bracket, though the Croatian is expected to be worth every inch of his bumper salary from the champions.
