The Citizens have been strongly linked with a big-money move for the RB Leipzig defender throughout this summer, with Pep Guardiola understood to have identified the 21-year-old as his primary target.
Reports earlier this month claimed that Man City had reached an agreement to sign Gvardiol and the defender had completed the first part of his medical.
However, Leipzig boss Marco Rose and sporting director Max Eberl have played down suggestions that an agreement has been reached and both clubs remain in negotiations, with the Bundesliga club alleged to have set a deadline of August 12 for the Citizens to agree a fee.
It is thought that Man City will be required to meet Leipzig's €100m (£85.9m) valuation of Gvardiol, which would make the Croatia international the most expensive defender of all time.
Despite recent reports claiming that Liverpool are planning to hijack City's attempts to sign Gvardiol, the treble winners remain optimistic that they can finalise a deal for the defender this summer.
Gvardiol is a 21-cap Croatia international and he played alongside City's new summer signing Kovacic – a £25m arrival from Chelsea – at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, helping the Checkered Ones win the third-place playoff against Morocco.
Kovacic, who is a close friend of Gvardiol, believes the highly-rated defender is «ready» to make the next step in his career and hopes he can secure a move to the Etihad.
«Of course I'd like [Gvardiol] to join,» the midfielder told reporters as quoted by The Express. «I know he's very young and has great potential. He can come here and
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