According to reports, Manchester City have made a £25 million approach for Chelsea player Mateo Kovacic.
The 29-year-old has a year left on his contract at Stamford Bridge and has stated that he would most likely depart the club this summer.
Chelsea are reported to be willing to let go of Kovacic in order to balance their budget and cut a bloated first-team roster.
Chelsea granted Man City permission to talk with Kovacic earlier this month, and the midfielder has subsequently accepted personal terms with the Etihad Stadium.
The Citizens have recently increased their chase of the Croatia international, according to The Athletic, and have presented a written bid worth £25 million.
Previous sources said that Chelsea are demanding for a fee closer to £35 million, but both teams are eager to reach a solution because the midfielder has stated his desire to join the triple champions.
Man City are hoping to sign Kovacic before the end of the month after he represented Croatia in the UEFA Nations League final loss to Spain on Sunday.
Manager Pep Guardiola is known to have admired Kovacic during his days at Real Madrid and is eager to see the trade completed.
Between 2015 and 2018, Kovacic played three seasons for Real Madrid, winning six titles in all, including three consecutive Champions Leagues and one La Liga title.
The midfielder joined Chelsea on loan from Real Madrid in the summer of 2018 before making the move permanent a year later, and he has since made 221 appearances across all competitions, scoring six goals and assisting 15 times.
Kovacic, who started 27 of his 37 games for Chelsea in 2022-23, has yet to win an English domestic award, but he has won the Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup during his tenure at Stamford Bridge.
Man City have identified Kovacic as a summer target, at a time when club captain Ilkay Gundogan’s future at the Etihad is unknown.
The 32-year-old’s contract ends at the end of this month, and the German – who has been linked with both Barcelona and Arsenal – recently repeated that he has yet to make a final decision on his future.
Man City are believed to be hopeful of reaching new terms with Gundogan, but they will not stand in his way if he decides to seek greener pastures elsewhere.
The same is true for playmaker Bernardo Silva, who is looking for a new challenge after six seasons with Manchester United, with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Saudi teams all interested in his talents.
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