24 | Joško Gvardiol - 2025/26

[CΛL]

This has nothing to do with Khusa’s talent, which I think is exceptional. but let’s be honest. He only became a mainstay in the team because of injuries.

If you say so, and we’ll never know but I’d wager Khus would have gotten more game time than Gvardiol next season under Pep.

 

[Phil1]

If you say so, and we’ll never know but I’d wager Khus would have gotten more game time than Gvardiol next season under Pep.

A fully fit Joško would be in the team, maybe not as a CB every week but we would have found a spot for him. You don't leave players of his quality on the bench.

 

[St.Pauli support]

I actually prefer Guéhi over Josko and maybe Josko has the same feeling. Think we would still have a strong defence.

Munich would be a top location for the sun loving Croat, close to home.
We could use the funds to rebuild midfield - our biggest issue by far IMO.

If he stays - fine. Still midfield has to be solved, and a strong one.

 

[Shazza458]

Think he extends but extorts us in process.

 

[domalino]

Has 2 years left so if he doesn’t look like signing this summer should we just let it run down to 1? Or sell him now for a very good fee or wait to next season still hoping he signs a new contract!!?

Am hoping it’s his agent wanting more money for his client

In situations like this I think it's worth keeping him even if he's grumpy.

Lets say he's worth £100m now. How much would he be worth next summer, £60m?

If we keep him, he might change his mind, the clubs interested might buy someone else and not need him next summer, maybe he plays so well we think he's worth a much improved contract offer and that changes his mind.

Plus we get to keep a top performer in a really important transitional season, and we get another year to evaluate Reis, Mfuni etc which would inform how we react to him going. That's worth the risk IMO.

 

[69FACUPfinal]

Hopefully it's just a negotiating tactic and he'll sign a new deal after the World Cup. Would be a huge blow to lose him.

Agree. Apart from Nathan ( who sadly probably leaves) he's also our best defender for actually scoring set piece corners. Not that we score many but it's better than nothing! He's class and I hope he stays.

 

[Edghill OG]

Disagree. He'd broken his leg and was out for the foreseeable and we were in all four competitions at the time with our centre back options as:

- Ake - out/injury prone
- Stones - out/injury prone
- Dias - out/injury prone
- Khusanov - young and inexperienced (but fantastic)
- Gvardiol - broken leg
- Alleyne - young and too inexperienced for the competitions
- Akanji - out on loan
- Reis - out on loan

So based on that, we had Khusanov plus whoever could scramble together 90 minutes twice a week, which was nobody. Plus, a Khusanov who had been troubled by injury earlier in the season.

I remember Ake played through injury which isn't sustainable nor fair on him in a World Cup year. Or fair in general really.

We needed a CB, we saw Guehi was available for a price which was way below his market value because of his contract situation and we rightly pounced on that opportunity. Wages too high? Maybe, but Guehi had us by the bollocks because of the above.

Going into next season we'll have Dias, Guehi, Khusanov, Gvardiol(?) and maybe Reis/Ake too. Dias can't do a full season and shouldn't be a guaranteed starter, Khusanov is mustard but will need rotation (as will everybody), Guehi the same as Khusanov, Ake likely won't be here and if he is then he'll need his minutes managing and Reis won't be playing week in, week out.

If Gvardiol sees that as too much of a fight to get minutes and play an important role then he's not the right fit for the club.

You can't expect to be a guaranteed starter at a club competing on so many fronts and nor can you expect the club not to act on a market opportunity when you're out injured and it's a position we were struggling for fitness in.

Everybody was buzzing with signing Guehi at the time. Now people saying we shouldn't have signed him due to the reports of Gvardiol wanting off.

If the reports are true. Fuck Gvardiol. Been receiving a nice sum on the sidelines whilst receiving the best medical care possible with a long term injury. Disgraceful.

I like Gvardiol, but he's as prone to a brain fart as much as anybody else. At fullback he regularly bombed forward and left us exposed at the back too.

If anybody doesn't want to be at the club just because Pep has left or they don't want to fight for their place, weed them out the club. Much rather have a player with a little less talent, but is 100 percent committed to representing Manchester City Football Club.

 

[blue_danube]

I actually prefer Guéhi over Josko and maybe Josko has the same feeling. Think we would still have a strong defence.

To be fair to Josko, he was mostly being played at LB and proved to be a good goal threat too but he always maintained he was a CB when asked.

I don't think he ever really got a proper run at CB like Guehi did, a lot of that reason being that he's so good on the ball that Pep decided to use him in a position we still hadn't bothered filling with a proper left back.

Gvardiol is far more talented than Guehi in my opinion but his talent and ability actually worked against him in getting a run in his real position.

Josko can do everything Guehi can do and much more.

 

[Phil1]

Everybody was buzzing with signing Guehi at the time. Now people saying we shouldn't have signed him due to the reports of Gvardiol wanting off.

If the reports are true. Fuck Gvardiol. Been receiving a nice sum on the sidelines whilst receiving the best medical care possible with a long term injury. Disgraceful.

I like Gvardiol, but he's as prone to a brain fart as much as anybody else. At fullback he regularly bombed forward and left us exposed at the back too.

If anybody doesn't want to be at the club just because Pep has left or they don't want to fight for their place, weed them out the club. Much rather have a player with a little less talent, but is 100 percent committed to representing Manchester City Football Club.

Guehi has been a great signing but not without the odd wobble that has cost us.
There's no reason we should be having an either or conversation. If we want to compete then we keep both.

All my posts regarding Joško come with the caveat he wants to stay btw. If he makes it clear he doesn't then that's a different conversation altogether.

 

[Middedon]

Been receiving a nice sum on the sidelines whilst receiving the best medical care possible with a long term injury.

We, as a club, owe it to players to take care of them when they’re injured on our watch. Players who are injured aren’t on the “sidelines” - if youve had an injury, you’d know, they’re working just as hard and maybe harder than the players on the pitch. Like many of our players Josko surpassed expectations by working hard to come back and be ready, if needed, for the end of the season.

 

[St.Pauli support]

To be fair to Josko, he was mostly being played at LB and proved to be a good goal threat too but he always maintained he was a CB when asked.

I don't think he ever really got a proper run at CB like Guehi did, a lot of that reason being that he's so good on the ball that Pep decided to use him in a position we still hadn't bothered filling with a proper left back.

Gvardiol is far more talented than Guehi in my opinion but his talent and ability actually worked against him in getting a run in his real position.

Josko can do everything Guehi can do and much more.

I think Josko is too massive a unit to play LB consistently, AND he's losing too many balls in midfield when he panics in tighter spaces.
I like him as a CB, but as I said I prefer Guéhi with his calmness (except that clownery at Everton, but I didn't see many more poor mistakes).
Josko is a little rash as a personality IMO, it is what it is.

We'll see.

 

[Phil1]

I think Josko is too massive a unit to play LB consistently, AND he's losing too many balls in midfield when he panics in tighter spaces.
I like him as a CB, but as I said I prefer Guéhi with his calmness (except that clownery at Everton, but I didn't see many more poor mistakes).
Josko is a little rash as a personality IMO, it is what it is.

We'll see.

Every Croat I've met has been a little dry and seemingly not full of the joys of spring.
Then when they become comfortable they loosen up and are amongst some of the most honest decent people I've met.

He's also more importantly an absolute baller who any team would be desperate to sign.

 

[Edghill OG]

We, as a club, owe it to players to take care of them when they’re injured on our watch. Players who are injured aren’t on the “sidelines” - if youve had an injury, you’d know, they’re working just as hard and maybe harder than the players on the pitch. Like many of our players Josko surpassed expectations by working hard to come back and be ready, if needed, for the end of the season.

Really don't know what you are getting at. It's in both our interests to get the player back to full fitness to represent the club again. Technically they are an asset.

IF and I repeat IF the reports are true. He's worked hard to get back to full fitness and wants off to represent another club for them to reap the benefit?!!! Stinks if that is the case.

 

[Middedon]

Really don't know what you are getting at. It's in both our interests to get the player back to full fitness to represent the club again. Technically they are an asset.

IF and I repeat IF the reports are true. He's worked hard to get back to full fitness and wants off to represent another club for them to reap the benefit?!!! Stinks if that is the case.

I probably read too much into your comment. Like he was lounging around or something. But it’s clear we both agree club and player are working hard. He said this week he’s happy and has everything he needs at the Club. I like him as a player and if this turns out to be rumor, I hope it doesn’t affect his standing with fans. (Even though It never feels like he’s been a favorite here)

 

[waspish]

That is probably one of the reasons for the reports. It is similar to Rodri as well. We aren't going to lose all our key players in one window. If anything (much as I don't want to lose him either) Ruben Dias could be the one we do lose.

Let’s hope that. We all want him to stay and sign a new contract..

 

[waspish]

In situations like this I think it's worth keeping him even if he's grumpy.

Lets say he's worth £100m now. How much would he be worth next summer, £60m?

If we keep him, he might change his mind, the clubs interested might buy someone else and not need him next summer, maybe he plays so well we think he's worth a much improved contract offer and that changes his mind.

Plus we get to keep a top performer in a really important transitional season, and we get another year to evaluate Reis, Mfuni etc which would inform how we react to him going. That's worth the risk IMO.

Yeah see all that, it is a gamble that he will sign a new contract. Problem is when his contract ends he will be 27/28 which is peak! If he was 31/32 in two years I’d say fine let it run down! Also one year left he will have a lot of top clubs in his agents ear that they can give him this or that if he leaves on a free..

 

[blue_danube]

I think Josko is too massive a unit to play LB consistently, AND he's losing too many balls in midfield when he panics in tighter spaces.
I like him as a CB, but as I said I prefer Guéhi with his calmness (except that clownery at Everton, but I didn't see many more poor mistakes).
Josko is a little rash as a personality IMO, it is what it is.

We'll see.

But put Guehi in a left back position and see how calm he is. I'd imagine Josko would panic far less if his natural position too.

I just think he's a much better player than Guehi.

I don't think any top manager would choose Guehi over Gvardiol if they're both fit and they've had chance to have a good look at both. I think Gvardiol is top drawer, where as I think Guehi is just a solid premier league player and I think over the past couple of seasons we have bought too many players that would fit into the latter category and not the former.

 

[Haaland94]

But put Guehi in a left back position and see how calm he is. I'd imagine Josko would panic far less if his natural position too.

I just think he's a much better player than Guehi.

I don't think any top manager would choose Guehi over Gvardiol if they're both fit and they've had chance to have a good look at both. I think Gvardiol is top drawer, where as I think Guehi is just a solid premier league player and I think over the past couple of seasons we have bought too many players that would fit into the latter category and not the former.

Bingo, too many overrate Guehi because he is English and derives from the Prem. Very good player, mind, but Josko is better.

 

[vanchi]

Well according to Gvardiol's agent.. he's looking to move. If that's for getting a bigger contract or he genuinely likes Madrid I don't know..

I would like Gvardiol to sign a new contract to stay with us.

And we'll be just fine without Kovacic.. we need to get younger in midfield.. desperately!

stop making shit up ffs

 

[vanchi]

the drama today from sportske novosti, posted by city xtra, is utter bs, their source is spanish media, not gvardiol’s camp.

i have no idea what gvardiol wants to do but the fact that top clubs want him does not mean he necessarily wants to leave.

plenty of time to shit on him if he leaves, no need to do it now when he literally hasn’t done or said anything about wanting to leave.