Gvardiol signs contract extension to stay at Manchester City until 2031

Joško Gvardiol will remain at Manchester City after agreeing a contract extension that will keep the Croatia international at the Etihad Stadium until 2031, ending months of speculation linking him with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

The 24-year-old’s current deal runs until 2028, but City and Gvardiol are close to formally confirming the new terms. Despite uncertainty created by Pep Guardiola’s departure, Gvardiol has opted to commit his future to the club, delivering a significant early win for incoming head coach Enzo Maresca.

Gvardiol missed the majority of the second half of last season after suffering a leg break in January, returning only in the final week of the campaign. During his absence, City’s centre-back pairing of January signing Marc Guehi and Abdukodir Khusanov emerged as first choice, with Khusanov in particular developing into a confident Premier League defender.

The renewal leaves Maresca with a centre-back quartet of Gvardiol, Rubén Dias, Guehi and Khusanov — a depth of quality that few clubs in European football can match. Dias is also in line to be named club captain following Bernardo Silva’s departure.

Nathan Aké remains at City for now, though his contract expires in 12 months and a renewal is considered unlikely given the competition for places. Should the 31-year-old Dutchman leave, City could look to academy prospects Max Alleyne and Stephen Mfuni to provide cover, or recall Vitor Reis, who spent last season on loan at Girona.

Gvardiol’s versatility — he can operate at both centre-back and left-back — makes him especially valuable to Maresca’s plans. John Stones, who departed City this summer, had seen his influence limited by injury and fitness concerns over the past two seasons, meaning the defensive rebuild is already well underway ahead of the new era.