Gvardiol happy at Man City but leaves door open after World Cup

Josko Gvardiol has declared himself content at Manchester City while leaving his long-term future deliberately open, telling reporters in the Croatia camp that he will reassess his situation once the World Cup is over.

The 24-year-old centre-back is under contract at the Etihad until the summer of 2028, and City have been working to extend that deal further. Those talks have yet to produce an agreement, and in recent days both Barcelona and Bayern Munich have been linked with a move for the Croatian international.

“We’ve all seen various rumours coming from every direction. I’m happy at Man City, I have everything I need. Before the injury I played every match, almost full minutes. After the World Cup we’ll see what happens next,” Gvardiol said.

The defender’s presence in the Croatia squad is itself a significant achievement. He suffered a broken leg in January, a setback that threatened to rule him out of the tournament entirely. His return to action for City against Crystal Palace came just over four months after that injury, and he has since been cleared to join up with the national side.

Gvardiol also addressed the managerial change at City, where Pep Guardiola’s decade-long tenure has come to an end with Enzo Maresca confirmed as his successor. The defender was measured but positive about the transition.

“Unfortunately he decided his journey would end. Since he arrived, we’ve all seen how many trophies he lifted. We learned a lot. Everyone who had the chance to work with him became a better player and person. I’m sure Manchester City will choose the right new coach and continue where we left off,” he said.

Gvardiol’s comments amount to a holding position rather than a declaration of loyalty — warm words about City paired with a clear signal that a final decision will wait until after the summer tournament. That ambiguity is likely to keep Barcelona and Bayern Munich’s interest alive heading into the transfer window.