Barcelona Watches Again. Gvardiol Signs New Deal, While Another Transfer Dream Disappears

Barcelona had Joško Gvardiol on its radar as a potential defensive reinforcement, but once again it ended at the stage of monitoring, analysing and adding another name to the famous “maybe one day” folder. The Croatian defender has now signed a new contract with Manchester City, keeping him at the club until 2031.

Manchester City officially confirmed that Gvardiol’s previous deal, which was set to expire in 2028, has been extended. The 24-year-old joined City from RB Leipzig in 2023 for around €90 million and quickly became one of Pep Guardiola’s key defensive players, proving his value both as a centre-back and a left-back.

For Barcelona, this is another chapter in the long story of “almost, but never really”. The Catalan club was reportedly monitoring Gvardiol as a possible option for the defence, especially if changes occurred in the back line. On paper, he looked like a perfect fit: young, left-footed, versatile and already experienced at the highest level. In reality, his profile once again turned out to be far beyond Barça’s current financial comfort zone.

Gvardiol now joins the growing list of players Barcelona can remove from its transfer wishlist. While Manchester City secures one of Europe’s best young defenders until 2031, Barça will continue searching for “market opportunities” — preferably players who cost less than half the price and whose contracts expire in a few months.