Mateo Kovacic has joined Manchester City from Chelsea on a four-year deal, the current UEFA Champions League winners confirmed on Tuesday, 27th of June.
It was reported earlier that the two clubs agreed on a deal worth 25 million pounds upfront for the Croatian international with another 5 million pounds in add-ons and the midfielder will be among the Man City squad ahead of the 2023/2024 campaign.
Kovacic has expressed his excitement at joining Man City, where he believes he will receive the best of coaching in the world from manager Pep Guardiola and where he can continue to develop as a player.
After the Citizens missed out on Jude Bellingham, who signed with Real Madrid this month, and seeing their captain, Ilkay Gundogan, leave for free to Barcelona on Monday, 26th of June, Man City manager Pep Guardiola has been eager to bolster his midfield options.
After his transfer to Manchester City, Mateo Kovacic said: “This is a brilliant move for me, and I cannot wait to get started with City”.
“Anyone who has watched this team under Pep Knows how good they are, for me, they are the best in the world. The trophies they have won are clear for all to see, but they are also the best footballing side out there”.
He added: “To be joining this squad really is a dream for any footballer”.
City have a plethora of midfielders, but the loss of Ilkay Gundogan to FC Barcelona has cast doubt on the future of Bernardo Silva.
In addition, star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne may be unavailable for the upcoming Premier League season after injuring his hamstring in the season-opening victory over Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final in Turkey.
Kovacic is Man City’s first summer acquisition after winning the Treble of the UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, and FA Cup last season.
The former Real Madrid midfielder joins the club after Ilkay Gundogan’s free move to Barcelona was announced, and before City’s £90 million deal for England midfielder Declan Rice was turned down by West Ham.
Mateo Kovacic was strongly linked with a move to Germain Bundesliga with reported interest from Bayern Munich, but the 29-year-old was keen to continue in the English Premier League.
Chelsea intended to get close to their initial £35m ($44m) asking price for Kovacic, but to seal the deal before June 30, the West London club lowered their demands.
Chelsea needed to finalize the transfer before the end of the first full tax year so that they could remain in compliance with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations.
Mateo Kovacic with Chelsea
Chelsea acquired Kovacic from Real Madrid in the summer of August 2018 on a loan deal, before the West London club signed him permanently on a five-year deal.
The 29-year-old forward spent five years at Chelsea, during which time he made 221 appearances, won the Champions League, Europa League, FIFA Club World Cup, and UEFA Super Cup, and was named the club’s Player of the Year in 2019/2020.
He’s played 95 times for Croatia and is an integral component of the team that made it to the finals of the 2018 World Cup and placed third overall in Qatar.
N’Golo Kante has already left Chelsea for Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad, and now Mateo Kovacic is the latest high-profile player to depart as the club reshapes its big roster for new head coach Mauricio Pochettino.
Kovacic played a role in Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League victory, coming on as a substitute in the Blues’ 1-0 victory over City in the final.
Last season, he made 37 appearances for the West London club as they struggled to a 12th-place finish in the Premier League.
What’s next for Mateo Kovacic?
Following his transfer to Manchester City, Kovacic’s plan is to rest for a few weeks before coming back to Manchester to prepare for the new season.
However, the midfielder will be looking forward to helping the club stay at the top and win more trophies.
Meanwhile, Everyone at Manchester City is pleased to entertain Mateo Kovacic on the team, and the players all wish him well during his time with the Citizens.
However, Man City will begin their Premier League championship defense on August 11 with a road trip to Burnley.
On August 13, Chelsea on the other hand will host Liverpool for the season opener.
