Mateo Kovacic is reportedly on the radar of ‘several clubs’, including Atletico Madrid, and the Citizens expect to receive close to their original outlay for him.
A number of City players have slipped below their usual standards this season. Kovacic, playing in a deeper midfield role than he’s used to given Rodri’s injury, is one of those.
He hasn’t been awful, but there is a noticeable difference between his abilities in the position and Rodri’s. Some of City’s players could be sold in the summer, and Kovacic is seemingly one of them.
Indeed, Esteemed Kompany reports there are likely to be players leaving to cater for the need for new midfield stars, and the Croatian has ‘several clubs’ on his tail.
Atletico Madrid and Al Nassr are the two named sides, while three unnamed Premier League clubs are also interested in signing Kovacic.
City would ‘demand a transfer fee’ between €30-40million (£25.1-33.5m) for his sale, and would then be open to him leaving.
Given Kovacic was signed from Chelsea for £30million in 2023, getting close to the original outlay is a good return for City on a player who’s not right at the top of his game.
Kovacic has two years left on his deal, but is 30 years old and could continue to decline, so the price seems a fair one, if any of the interested sides want to pay it.
MORE ON MAN CITY FROM F365:
👉Pep Guardiola backed to leave Man City before ‘next season’ for two reasons with replacement mooted
👉‘Unhappy’ Haaland ‘threatens’ Man City with ‘departure approaching’ from ‘shook’ Citizens
👉Man City FFP: Relegation ‘tariff’ set by commission upon guilty verdict amid ‘corporate fraud’
The report does not suggest if any would be willing to do so, but they would surely know Kovacic would be sold for a figure in that ballpark, and are keen on him anyway.
If the Croatian is to head to Atletico Madrid, he’d be the second City player to do so in the space of a year, after Julian Alvarez moved to the Metropolitano last summer.
Atleti are currently four points behind both Barcelona and Real Madrid, in first and second place respectively, so more signings could help to close the gap on the elite pair.
READ MORE: Man City star urged to ‘go somewhere else’ as ‘change of scenery’ way to save England career