Why Guardiola wants Gvardiol for Manchester City?

There are not many left-footed centre-backs who are athletic, good defensively and in possession with Champions League and international experience with only 21 years old. Josko Gvardiol is one of them and that is why Pep Guardiola wants to sign him for the Manchester City squad. With the transformation that Guardiola has made in the full-back position, playing with central defenders, Gvardiol is a signing that makes all the sense in the world. Gvardiol is a mix of a traditional defender with an elite passer, let’s analyze it.

The main characteristic that City’s defensive line lacks is the pass behind the opposition defense. Gvardiol is a top player doing this, with a long ball or driving and throwing a pass through the lines to Haaland’s movement off the ball. He is equally assured in playing expansively with his weaker right foot, complicating the opponents’s press and making the build-up even easier.

Another strength of Gvardiol is his one touch passing, taking great decisions while playing under pressure. This means that he can take the role of Stones playing in midfield when City have possession.

The only player capable of giving Haaland passes like this was De Bruyne, so adding a player who can do it from defense would force the big teams to defend closer to their box preventing the threat of the Norwegian’s runs attacking space.

Gvardiol has played left-back for several games in his career, so Guardiola could put him there. In defense he is a player with an excellent tackle, very precise, always focused, knowing when to go to the ground. He also takes advantage of it when he has to anticipate, with a good reading of the game and quick movements.

The only aspect of the game where he has to improve is when he is too aggressive getting out of position, taking too many risks, leaving space behind his back for an opponent to take advantage of. These actions have penalized him a lot in Champions League and against the best teams in the Bundesliga, being an aspect that he must improve.

Josko Gvardiol fulfills everything Manchester City needs: one more weapon in attack and taking the new idea in defense of Pep Guardiola to the next level.