Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic will reportedly join Premier League champions Manchester City in a deal worth £30 million.
According to reputed Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Mateo Kovacic will join Manchester City in the summer transfer window. The Premier League champions have reached an agreement with Chelsea for the 29-year-old midfielder. And they will shell out a base fee of £25 million, with £5 million being add-ons.
Mateo Kovacic has been a pivotal figure for Chelsea in the last half a decade. The West London club signed him on loan for the 2018/19 season before completing a permanent deal in July 2019. Since then, he has come leaps and bounds, establishing himself as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.
The 29-year-old struggled with fitness issues this past season, managing 37 appearances across all competitions while chipping in with two goals and two assists. And Kovacic’s Chelsea contract runs out in a little over a year. Such a situation has captured the attention of treble winners Manchester City.
Manchester City will likely lose Ilkay Gundogan as a free agent in the summer transfer window. And the German international should join Barcelona in a Bosman move in the coming days. The Manchester City captain’s departure will leave a gaping hole in the midfield unit. And Kovacic has emerged as a viable target for the Premier League champions.
More exclusive details on Kovacić deal. Understand Manchester City will pay a guaranteed fee of £25m to Chelsea.
£5m will be also included in add-ons to be activated only if/when Man City will win titles — not player’s performances.
Pep has his new midfielder.
Here we go. ✨🇭🇷 pic.twitter.com/kT0diRKn54— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 21, 2023
Personal terms were never an issue, as the Chelsea midfielder wanted to join Manchester City. And the treble winners soon sealed the deal with the 29-year-old. So the only sticking point was the transfer fee, although Chelsea remained open to parting ways with the Croatian international.
The matter escalated earlier this week after Manchester City tabled a bid worth £25 million. And Chelsea and City have now agreed to a package worth £30 million for Kovacic’s services. This agreement will have a base fee of £25 million, with £5 million being achievable add-ons. These will depend on Manchester City winning titles instead of the performances of the 29-year-old.
An official announcement is all that remains for Manchester City to confirm Kovacic’s acquisition. And the Chelsea midfielder is bracing himself to embark on a new adventure at the Etihad following a fruitful half decade with the West London club.
