Manchester City’s big move for RB Leipzig star Josko Gvardiol is being held up by negotiations over bonus payments for the Croatian defender.
That’s according to SportBILD, who say the ‘sticking point’ in talks over the centre-back is the nature of the bonus payments Manchester City are proposing.
The newspaper explain that the poker between the two clubs is currently stuck on the issue of extra payments following the initial fee.
Leipzig are demanding €100m for their player but are happy for that to include ‘realistic bonus payments’ if that is required.
Manchester City, on the other hand, have currently put €90m on the table according to SportBILD’s information but that includes ‘unrealistic bonus payments’.
That, coupled with the fact that the overall package would be worth less than the €100m Leipzig are looking for, means the German side are in no rush to agree to a deal. Indeed, they would reject to ‘save face’.
There is a firm belief that an ‘agreement will be reached’ eventually between the two clubs, particularly as Pep Guardiola is pushing to have the defender. Reports in England have indicated he is annoyed a deal has not yet been done.
The defender, for his part, is currently in a training camp with Leipzig and acting ‘like an absolute professional’ while the transfer process is ongoing. He’s not pushing to leave or anything of that nature.
Leipzig are expecting a transfer to take place and from a commercial point of view, they certainly can’t turn down a three-digit mega deal this summer. They need the money after recent acquisitions.
In fact, they want ‘clarity’ on the matter sooner rather than later and would prefer for negotiations with Manchester City not to drag on until September 1st.
Whether that happens remains to be seen, with those talks currently locked on the matter of bonus payments included in the deal.
