Real Madrid are reportedly keen on signing Chelsea and Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic on a free transfer in the summer of 2024.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Real Madrid could look to pounce upon Chelsea’s fire-sale in the coming transfer windows and have compiled a shortlist of players they would like to sign. Among a quartet of names, the Spanish giants are eager to secure the services of their former star Mateo Kovacic on a free transfer, if he runs out his contract with the Blues.
The 28-year-old has been a reliable performer in the Chelsea engine room since initially arriving at Stamford Bridge on loan in 2018. Chelsea triggered the £40.5 million option to buy him from Real Madrid a year later. And he is now into his fifth season with the Pensioners.
During that time, Kovacic has racked up 216 appearances for the Blues, notably playing a vital role in their remarkable 2021 Champions League triumph. However, it appears the Croat’s tenure in the capital could come to a close in the near future, with the Blues forking out over £100 million on Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez this past January.
The West Londoners have spent heavily since their takeover. And they will need to raise some funds through sales in order to comply with the financial fair play regulations. If recent reports are anything to go by, Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is gearing up to sell at least eight players in a bid to balance the west London club’s books and deal with a bloated squad and its spiralling wage bill, having reported losses of £121.3 million for the 2021/22 financial year.
One of the high-profile names on the chopping block is Kovacic. With his current contract running out in the summer of 2024, Chelsea were understood to be keen to speak to Kovacic about a contract extension. The issue with a new deal, though, may lie on Kovacic’s side.
The player is not set on committing to Chelsea just yet and could be open to taking on a new challenge elsewhere, with the Blues in a serious slump. Such a situation has piqued the interest of Real Madrid, who are reportedly set to tie down key midfielder Toni Kroos to a contract extension. The German international alongside Luka Modric has guided Los Merengues to unprecedented success in recent years.
But they are getting older and a succession plan is required, albeit a stop-gap one. Carlo Ancelotti has already confirmed that he expects the veteran duo — Kroos is 33 and Modric is 37 — to stay for at least another season. So it makes sense for Florentino Perez to have a ready-made plan.
Kovacic previously spent three seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu and is one of the best technical midfielders in world football, boasting a good range of passing, ball progression, and close control. Having said that, Real Madrid only want him on a Bosman transfer, while Chelsea are wary of not letting players enter the last year of their contracts as that throws up the risk of losing saleable assets for nothing to free agency.
With the Croat attracting interest from clubs such as Manchester City, Manchester United, and Liverpool, Boehly knows that Kovacic is a coveted player. Chelsea should thus be able to agree to a big-money exit for him, which hampers Real Madrid’s chances.
