Aston Villa are eyeing a potential mid-season move for Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic, journalist Mark Brus has reported.
The West Midlands club are claimed to be among a host of Premier League and European sides tracking the Croatia international, who has played just 41 minutes of football this season.
Kovacic will enter the final 18 months of his contract at the Etihad Stadium in January and, with no extension in sight, Man City are expected to be open to offers to let the 31-year-old go.
Several clubs across the continent are believed to be eyeing a move for Kovacic at the turn of the year, including AC Milan, who could look to reunite the former Chelsea midfielder with his compatriot Luka Modric.
La Liga duo Villarreal and Real Betis have also been credited with interest in the four-time Champions League winner, although no official proposal has been made yet.
Aston Villa Considering Move for Mateo Kovacic
Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic
According to Brus, Aston Villa have yet to advance their interest in Kovacic, with Milan seen as the most serious suitors of the 31-year-old midfielder at present.
Kovacic has slipped down the pecking order at Man City following several new midfield arrivals at the Etihad in the last 10 months, with Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders joining.
The 111-cap Croatia international sustained an Achilles injury during the closing stages of last season and was forced to miss five months of action before making his return to the squad in September.
He has played just four minutes of Premier League football this term and another 37 in the Champions League.
Kovacic made his first Premier League appearance of the season in City’s 2-0 win over Everton last weekend and also featured in their 2-0 victory over Villarreal on Tuesday.
The £150,000-a-week midfielder, who joined City from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, has played 90 games for the club to date, scoring 10 goals and providing four assists.
Aston Villa have enjoyed a positive run of results, winning five in a row across all competitions, before falling 2-1 to Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles in the Europa League on Thursday.
Sitting 11th in the Premier League table, Unai Emery’s side host Man City on Sunday, before taking on defending champions Liverpool the following weekend.