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MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City has signed Croatia center-back Joško Gvardiol from Leipzig for 90 million euros ($99.2 million). He is among the most expensive defenders in soccer history. The 21-year-old Gvardiol is known as "Little Pep" because of his name's likeness to City manager Pep Guardiola. He is one of the most highly rated defenders in the world and enhanced his reputation with impressive performances for Croatia at the World Cup last year. He won the German Cup in back-to-back seasons with Leipzig and played in the Champions League. The transfer fee puts Gvardiol among the likes of Manchester United's Harry Maguire and Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk among the costliest defenders in the world.
