Barcelona working to sign Man City’s Josko Gvardiol

Barcelona are working on a deal to sign Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol this summer, according to El Partidazo de Cope.

After failing with a swoop for Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni, Barca have turned to Gvardiol.

Gvardiol might be open to joining Barcelona, with long-serving manager Pep Guardiola set to leave.

Gvardiol struggled for playing time during the 2025/26 season due to injuries and may feel he needs to move to a club where he can establish himself as the first-choice.

Gvardiol should stay at City

The 24-year-old is a terrific, front-footed defender who uses his aggression to stave off attackers. He is also versatile enough to operate at left-back.

He would be a fantastic pick-up for Barcelona, pairing nicely with Pau Cubarsi. They are perfect for Hansi Flick’s gung-ho approach.

However, with John Stones expected to depart and Nathan Ake also heading for the exit door, Gvardiol is staring at the perfect opportunity to establish himself as one of the first names on City’s teamsheet.

Guardiola’s exit could even work in his favour, giving him a clean slate under a new manager rather than forcing him into another tactical reshuffle elsewhere.

Gvardiol should be entering the phase where he consistently dominates games, and City still looks like the best platform for that.

He has the athleticism, aggression and technical quality to become the leader of their next defensive era.

Playing for Barcelona is tempting, especially alongside Cubarsi, but leaving now risks abandoning the exact scenario he has been waiting for.

However, after such a frustrating campaign, he may simply be itching for a fresh start elsewhere.