Manchester City agree £30m Mateo Kovacic deal

Chelsea's Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic

TRANSFERS Manchester City agree £30m Mateo Kovacic deal

Kiplagat Sang • 14:58 - 21.06.2023

City are understood to be in the final stages of completing the summer move.

Manchester City have agreed to a £30 (Ksh5,353,854,411) million deal to sign Croatian international Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea.

The fee agreed is said to be worth an initial £25 million guaranteed plus £5 million, which is in performance-related add-ons. He only has one year left on his contract and is viewed as a replacement for Ilkay Gundogan, who could leave Etihad this summer.

According to further reports, it is only a matter of days before the Citizens announce the Croatian as their new player.

The only way that could make the deal collapse is if City decides to pursue Declan Rice, who is heavily linked with a move to Arsenal.

Kovacic initially joined the Blues on loan from Real Madrid in the summer of 2018 and has been part of the Stamford Bridge outfit since.

At Chelsea, the midfielder has won four major trophies, including the Champions League, which was his fourth in 2021, and has made 221 appearances.

Pundits claim that Kovacic has been pursued by Pep Guardiola because of his strengths in the midfield. He ranks fifth for both completed take-ons and passes per 90 among midfielders since he signed in 2018.

Kovacic also excels at receiving the ball under pressure, moving upfield by beating the opponents’ press, and linking the defense to the attack.

His departure could weaken Chelsea, who are also hoping to strengthen after an awful season.