Done a bit of digging on Josko Gvardiol over the last two days. I think he'd be my first choice replacement.
The only question mark, for me, is that he plays on the left side of a back three so he's given a hell of a lot of license to roam and I'm not sure he'd get quite the same freedom here.
But he's not like a young Stones in terms of being a great ball carrier and a bit of a soft touch in defence. The lad is tenacious.
I can see him filling Ake's role immediately but being first choice by the second half of the season and I don't say that lightly; Laporte is much better than many seem to give him credit for.
Don't know anything about him as a player, a few here seem to rate him and most seem to be saying he would cost a lot.
A few weeks ago he was linked with Spurs at £44m it would supposedly have taken for them to sign him. Anything around that would be well within reach, if, we were interested. I would like to think a chance to compete for a place at a top club in top competitons would be a great draw for a move from RB Liepzig. I don't think there is much to the links however, other than, he is a good CB, and we need a CB to repalce an outgoing one 2+2.
I think the Kounde links are pure guesswork as well based on our interest in him 2 years ago. But I somehow see that as far more likely, probably The most likely if I'm honest.
It was clear he wanted the move 2 years ago. A lot of the ground work will have been done, and that and the interest will have stuck. The way he responded once it all came to an end showed he was up for it, somewhat disappointed but focused on staying, and hopeful of a future opportunity. The fee shouldnhave also come down from what Sevilla chanced at the time.
At that point we had Stones, Laporte, Ake and Ota, and he had no issue coming to to fight for a place. Not much has changed, Dias replaced Ota and Ake would be elsewhere, so at his age I could see him still being up for backing himself, in particular with injuries to all 3, and Laporte having been rumoured to want to leave if the chance comes up.
