Manchester City appear to have taken a huge step towards the signing of Mateo Kovacic, leaving Chelsea with an important decision to make. The 29-year-old midfielder faces an increasingly uncertain future at Stamford Bridge, with his contract set to expire in 12-months.
football.london understands that the Blues are preparing for Kovacic's departure this summer, with Bayern Munich also said to be interested. It's believed that there hasn't been talks of an extension on his current deal in west London, meaning the Croatia international will become a free agent at the end of next season if he were to stay.
Thomas Tuchel is said to be eager to reunite with Kovacic, who performed very well during their time together at Chelsea. Pep Guardiola is also understood to be a big admirer, with the Premier League champions plotting a swoop.
In fact, according to The Athletic, City have submitted a bid worth £25million for the Croatian midfielder. The report states that the Champions League victors were given permission to speak to Kovacic last month and, now, a written offer has finally been tabled.
Kovacic has played a major role in the Chelsea first-team since he arrived from Real Madrid in 2019 during a transfer ban. However, the Blues are looking to trim down their bloated squad and he's been identified as somebody who can generate some funds.
While he may be on the way out, Mauricio Pochettino remains keen to further bolster his options in the middle of the park. The likes of Moises Caicedo have been heavily linked with moves to Stamford Bridge lately, and the windfall from Kovacic's exit will provide sufficient funds for the Brighton star's bid.
Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Hakim Ziyech, Romelu Lukaku and Kalidou Koulibaly and all expected to leave west London this summer too, securing even more funding for a Caicedo bid. But, Chelsea aren't just in the market for a midfielder.
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It's said that the Blues have their eye on a striker too, with a move for Nicolas Jackson building a head of steam. Victor Osimhen and Harry Kane have also been mooted as targets, although they're said to be valued in the region of at least £100million...
