"A rare breed" - Thierry Henry wowed by reported Chelsea's target's stunning performance in the UEFA Champions League
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry was left awestruck by Chelsea target Josko Gvardiol following his performance in RB Leipzig's 3-2 win over Real Madrid on 25 October.
The Croatian scored the opener in the 13th minute with a smart finish after Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a save.
Gvardiol made three tackles during the win, one interception, and four clearances. He also made 73 passes, with a passing accuracy of 94.5%.
The Leipzig defender continues to be linked with a move to Chelsea as they and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in the race to sign the Croatian.
Henry was impressed by Gvardiol's performance against Real Madrid and lavished praise on the player following the match.
He said (via football.london):
"It’s a rare breed to have a centre-back with a left foot. What I like is, and you have to give credit to Croatia and Dinamo Zagreb. They produce players at will. He’s strong. An eye for a pass."
Henry then touched on the interest being shown by Chelsea in the Croatian:
"Chelsea wants him and I can name a lot of teams. He’s good at defending and he’s good in the air on set-pieces, but more importantly, if you are a left-footed centre-back, then suddenly people come for you."
Joško Gvardiol vs Real Madrid
1 goal
73 passes
95% pass accuracy
1 key pass
6/7 accurate long balls
3 tackles won
2 interceptions
1 blocked shot
3 clearances
4/5 duels won
20 years of age. World-class potential. 🇭🇷🐂 https://t.co/zemac3TKp2
Gvardiol joined Leipzig from Dinamo Zagreb in 2021 for £16.9 million and has made 14 appearances, scoring one goal across competitions this season.
He has five years left on his contract with the Bundesliga side.
Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Gvardiol's Leipzig teammate Christopher Nkunku for the 2023-24 season
Chelsea have not only set eyes on Gvardiol but also his teammate Nkunku.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano (via Football365) has revealed that only fine details are left to be sorted out before the deal for the forward will be sealed.
Nkunku is set to have a medical before the transfer can be wrapped up.
Nkunku has a release clause which doesn't come into fruition until the summer, so he won't be a Blues player until the 2023-24 campaign.
The French attacker has been impressive this season, scoring 12 goals in 18 appearances across competitions.
Erfolgshungrig @c_nk97 https://t.co/gYGgVhQXhA
He was also on the scoresheet in the win over Madrid in the 18th minute as he fired past Courtois from inside the box.
The Frenchman had three shots, made three key passes and managed three dribbles.
He only signed a new four-year deal with Leipzig in June but he now seems to be heading to Stamford Bridge in two seasons' time.