Liverpool target has already revealed transfer verdict amid fresh Chelsea links

Chelsea have renewed their interest in Liverpool target Josko Gvardiol amid question marks over their faltering form under Graham Potter.

According to the Times, renewed their interest in the Leipzig star, but will have to act fast to avoid paying a £97m release clause that becomes active in 2024.

The club have been admirers of the 21-year-old for some time and were in negotiations for the centre-back last summer, and have also scouted the player since he was 17.

However, the Reds also hold a long-standing interest and potentially could persuade the Croatian defender to snub the London club, as past quotes have seen the RB Leipzig defender speak out on his love for Liverpool growing up:

“Since I was a little boy, my dad and I watched Liverpool matches, and I grew up with only them,” Gvardiol is quoted telling Croatian news outlet 24Sata in the past. “When I took football more seriously, I started following them, and I definitely want the Premier League and Liverpool.”

The 21-year-old has quickly developed in Germany, and with Croatia at the World Cup, into a top-class young centre-back and is attracting attention from Europe’s elite as a result. He’s already won three trophies in Croatia and helped Leipzig win the German cup last season and is poised to make a big money move in the near future.

His progress is down to his consistent game time at his current club, starting 62 of his 74 appearances at Leipzig and he spoke out last month about how key that is for him as he plots a future move to England.

“I knew that I needed to take a few steps more before I get [to the Premier League] one day,” Gvardiol said last month. “Leipzig is a really good club and I feel good here. It’s important I play almost every game.”