Manchester City and Chelsea have reportedly reached an agreement, with Manchester City set to secure the services of midfielder Mateo Kovacic in a £30 million ($38 million) deal.
According to sources, the treble winners will make an initial payment of £25 million for the 29-year-old Croatian international, with an additional £5 million potentially added in the form of performance-based bonuses.
Kovacic, who initially joined Chelsea on loan from Real Madrid in 2018 before making a permanent move, finds himself in the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge. If the deal goes through, Kovacic will become Manchester City’s first signing during the summer transfer window. His addition to the squad will provide manager Pep Guardiola with more midfield options, especially as the future of captain Ilkay Gundogan remains uncertain. Gundogan’s contract expires at the end of this month, and as of now, he has not reached an agreement on new terms.
Having enjoyed success in the UEFA Champions League three times with Real Madrid and once with Chelsea, Kovacic is likely to be one of several players departing from the London club as new manager Mauricio Pochettino streamlines the squad. Earlier on Wednesday, Chelsea bid farewell to French midfielder N’Golo Kante, who is making a move to Saudi club Al Ittihad.