Chelsea have accepted the likelihood that Mateo Kovacic will leave the club this summer after spending five years at Stamford Bridge. The Croatian midfielder joined the Blues on loan from Real Madrid for the 2018/19 campaign before signing a permanent deal the following summer.
Kovacic has helped Chelsea win the Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup but now looks set for a new challenge next season. Manchester City, Manchester United and Bayern Munich are among the clubs interested in signing the 29-year-old midfielder.
Reports have suggested the Croatia international's representatives are reported to have held talks with City over a proposed move to the Etihad Stadium. Prior to Raheem Sterling's move to west London last summer, he revealed that Kovacic always caught his eye as it now looks increasingly likely that the Croatia star will leave Chelsea and join Pep Guardiola's side.
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Kovacic will have just 12 months left on his current deal and the uncertainty over his contract has put his future in doubt. Chelsea need to decrease the size of their squad after a huge £600million spending spree in the last two transfer windows.
A report from The Guardian has revealed Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are said to be reluctant to keep players at the club once they have entered the final 12 months of their contract. This could see Mason Mount also leave the club despite Boehly meeting with the 24-year-old to reiterate his importance to the team.
The Blues are under pressure to raise funds through sales and Kovacic is likely to be one of several high-profile departures. Due to Chelsea's spending in the last year, they will need to sell a number of high-earners at the club to abide Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations and avoid another transfer ban.
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