£77m is beginning to look a bargain

GVARDIOL PROVING PRICELESS IN PURSUIT OF DOUBLE

- JOE BRAY

JOSKO Gvardiol became Manchester City's second-most expensive signing in the summer, costing an eye-watering £77million from RB Leipzig. It felt a remarkably high price to pay for someone so inexperienced, but City were confident enough to declare him a signing for the next decade.

Just 39 games later and that record fee for a City defensive signing looks an absolute bargain.

Especially if he plays like this for another nine seasons. It took Gvardiol 33 games to register his first goal in sky Blue as he bent in a beauty at the Bernabeu.

Including that game, he now has five goals in seven thanks to his wonderful solo effort at Craven Cottage and second half finish at the back post. Maybe he was just giving his teammates a head-start.

For a centre-back playing out of position at left-back to be in such a vein of scoring form shows how he has adapted to Pep Guardiola's demands in such a quick period of time.