It is three years since Josko Gvardiol joined Manchester City as the second-most expensive defender of all time, after Manchester United’s Harry Maguire.
Gvardiol signed a five-year contract then and has impressed for City since, playing as both a left-back and a central defender under Pep Guardiola.
Last week he signed a new five-year extension despite interest from other leading European clubs, and with Manchester City in something of a transition after Guardiola’s momentous exit.
But the Croatia international says it was an easy decision, and that he wants to be part of the team’s next chapter under Enzo Maresca instead of seeking a new challenge elsewhere.
“As a player, I need to see, ‘Do they need me? Am I going to be here just to try and have fun or am I going to perform and to compete?’,” Gvardiol said.
“I am happy to sign a new deal for five years. I am still 24 and with a new manager, everyone has to fight for their position. No one is secure.
“There are going to be a lot of changes and I am looking forward to seeing what will happen at the beginning of the season, how we are going to play, who is going to play. Every day is a new challenge and new opportunity.”
Five more years of Josko! 💪 pic.twitter.com/jyqyEdUKCd
— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 28, 2026
Gvardiol said players had sensed Guardiola’s exit was approaching before the announcement became official, although he believes the timing of the news helped the squad.
“Some would say he could have told us earlier, some would say not,” he said. “It was perfect timing because it can affect you mentally if he would have said it earlier. It was perfect timing, we knew at some point he had to tell us. He has been here for 10 years, and it is time to rest a little bit, retire.”
He added: “We could feel it. The season before he was in between, about to leave, then he stayed – which was great because it was another season to try to win something.
“Two seasons ago we struggled, 13 games without winning. Unfortunately it was time to go but who knows with him, maybe after six months he’ll get the energy back.”
The defender believes new manager Maresca has the qualities to lead City, although he expects the transition to take time after a decade under Guardiola.
“The level is that high, and he has been chosen for a reason as the manager,” Gvardiol said. “He has the quality, he has some new ideas and also we need to see what we’re going to do with the style of play, the football we are going to play and the tactics and everything. He is a perfect one, but it takes time.
“It’s something totally new. It’s not easy to change the manager, so we will take time. It’s our job to help him as much as possible and also to listen and try to adapt as quickly as possible.”
Our Josko! 💫 pic.twitter.com/FqyEbIXurx
— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 28, 2026
Gvardiol also expects changes in City’s style of play after switching tactics from heavy possession-based football to a more direct style during Guardiola’s final season.
“The main thing is long balls and diagonal balls,” Gvardiol said. “In my first season at Leipzig, we were giving it to the full-back and then the full-back switches it to the other side. I tried that a couple of times when I joined City and Pep said, ‘No, no, no’. When I saw someone attacking in behind, I would just try. It was kind of forbidden in my first year, and in the last one he tried something.”
The 24-year-old is now one of City’s longest-serving senior players following the departures of John Stones and Bernardo Silva, both of whom he expects to leave a significant gap in the dressing room.
“When I was younger, I wouldn’t say John was my idol because I was already a defender, but he was one of the best defenders,” he said. “It’s a secret, but every season I asked him to sign a shirt for me.
“[We were] very close. We discussed football, but not every time because it’s impossible to talk about football every day. Sometimes we need to switch off.
“Every time we would have some team dinners, parties, whatever, he was one of the funniest guys, him and Matheus Nunes. He’s funny. Now we need to see, because John is gone, so he’s going to miss his soulmate.
“Also, Bernardo, both are great people and characters. How much have we lost? We will find out when we regroup at the start of the season, but we’re going to miss both of them.”
He believes both have made the right career moves. “It’s a perfect club for John. He’s going to love it being in Italy and also Bernardo being back where he belongs – he talked about Spain for a long, long time!”
