Pep Guardiola confirms Josko Gvardiol's Man City medical

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol is undergoing a medical ahead of a proposed move to the Etihad Stadium.

City have struck a deal worth an initial £77.5m to sign Gvardiol, with add-ons which could see the transfer become the most expensive ever to involve a centre-back.

Guardiola has now confirmed that Gvardiol, who's childhood nickname was Guardiola due to the obvious similarities between the two names, is in Manchester to put the finishing touches on his move.

"Gvardiol, what a beautiful surname he has!" Guardiola joked during a press conference.

"He is doing a medical test. Everybody knows he is here. Hopefully, we can finish the deal in the next few hours or days."

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Should all go according to plan, Gvardiol would become the sixth centre-back in the City squad alongside Ruben Dias, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, Aymeric Laporte, while Kyle Walker often inverts from right-back as well.

"The season is so long. [Six] is not too much]," Guardiola said of his defensive group.

Walker is facing an uncertain future at City as Bayern Munich try to lure the England international away, but Guardiola is prepared for a fight to keep him.

He said: "[Walker] is so important to us. We want [him] and will do everything. We want him to stay because he wants to stay. We will do everything."

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