According to reports, Manchester City is considering moving for Mateo Kovacic as an alternative to Jude Bellingham. The Chelsea midfielder is currently approaching the final year of his contract this summer.
Since he arrived from Real Madrid in 2018, Kovacic has played a crucial role in the Chelsea squad, featuring in 207 games across all competitions.
Moreover, the 28-year-old midfielder has also represented Croatia on 91 occasions, playing a vital role in their impressive finishes of second and third place in the last two World Cups under Zlatko Dalic’s management.
However, Mateo Kovacic is among the many Chelsea players whose contract expires in 2024. In an effort to avoid losing players for free transfers, the new management led by Todd Boehly is determined to ensure players enter the final year of their contracts after being offered a new one.
Upon acquisition, Chelsea’s new owners inherited a situation where some key players, N’Golo Kante, Thiago Silva, and Jorginho, were all in the final year of their contracts.
Reports from Daily Mail suggest that Man City manager Pep Guardiola is a big fan of Kovacic and has been alerted to the situation. With the futures of Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva uncertain, Guardiola is understood to be currently searching for a replacement for the duo.
Manchester City is also among the top clubs keeping tabs on Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham. In addition, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester United also want the 19-year-old Englishman.
However, reports have suggested that Man City could opt for Matteo Kovacic as an alternative to Bellingham.
This sudden decision is because the Cityzens would want to avoid being dragged into a bidding war with the other top clubs.
Several sources reported that Manchester City was interested in Kovacic before he moved to Chelsea on loan in 2018. However, they failed to come up with a concrete offer, and the Croatian international eventually signed for Chelsea in a permanent deal worth £40m.
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