Manchester City are closing in on the signing of Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea as Pep Guardiola edges nearer towards finalising his first signing of the summer. Reports suggest the Premier League champions are set to complete a deal to capture the Croatia international after agreeing personal terms with the midfielder, as Guardiola looks to secure a replacement for their FA Cup hero Ilkay Gundogan as his future looks uncertain.
Kovacic is set to bring an end to his four-year spell with the west London club after Mauricio Pochettino made it clear he was happy for the midfielder to depart. He is likely to join Joao Felix and Denis Zakaria in heading for the Stamford Bridge exit.
The former Inter Milan and Real Madrid ace has been a key player for Chelsea after making 221 appearances for the club but, as it stands, he will enter the final year of his contract next month with no renewal on the table.
City are now understood to have ‘agreed personal terms’ with the Croatian and are ‘confident’ of sealing the move for the 29-year-old, report talkSPORT. Talks took place between the player’s representatives and City officials this week after Chelsea granted him permission to discuss a move.
A fee has not yet been agreed but it is not expected to be a stumbling block. Chelsea are looking to bring in at least £30m for the midfielder, who arrived in a £40m deal from Real Madrid in July 2019 after a successful loan spell.
According to Sky Sports, Guardiola is a long-term admirer of his ability and now looks set to get his man, with Kovacic leading the exodus from Chelsea this summer as the Blues look to trim their bloated squad to ease concerns over Financial Fair Play.
He is regarded as a like-for-like potential replacement for Ilkay Gundogan, who is still pondering his future with less than a month remaining on his deal.
The German midfielder scored both goals to help City win the FA Cup after a 2-1 win against Manchester United at Wembley and addressed his future after the game, revealing he is yet to make a final decision over his next move.
“To be honest I don’t need these kind of days to feel appreciated and to feel special in this club,” he told BBC Sport.
“I know that, that is why I am here already seven years with all the ups and downs I’ve had so far. Nothing is decided yet so we’re gonna see what’s going to happen.”
Barcelona and AC Milan are reportedly interested in offering the 32-year-old a lucrative contract as his current deal expires on June 30.
But after scoring 11 goals and providing six more for his team-mates this season, Guardiola would loathe to lose one of his key squad members.
