Manchester City and Chelsea agree £25m deal for 29-year-old star

Chelsea have agreed a deal with Manchester City to sell Mateo Kovacic

As per the Guardian, Manchester City and Chelsea have agreed a £25m deal for Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic. The deal has £5m add-ons as well.

Kovacic was one of the pivotal figures in the Chelsea midfield since arriving at the club from Real Madrid four years ago, initially on loan.

The Croatian international entered the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge and if he doesn’t renew his deal, could leave as a free agent next year. Hence, it seems obvious that the Blues would want to offload him now before its too late.

Chelsea agree a deal with Manchester City to sell Mateo Kovacic.
Chelsea agree a deal with Manchester City to sell Mateo Kovacic. (Photo by DENIS LOVROVIC/AFP via Getty Images)

The club are expected to undergo a squad overhaul under new boss Mauricio Pochettino. It is understandable given how bloated the squad was after signing innumerable amount of players in the last two transfer windows.

Kovacic would be a big miss for Chelsea in the middle of the park. His drive, energy, quality on and off the ball, passing accuracy and sheer will to win tough battles was important for the team.

Not many players possess quality and attitude like the 29-year-old. Hence, the Blues may find it hard to replace him in the squad in the summer window.

It would be hard for Chelsea to replace Kovacic in the team.
It would be hard for Chelsea to replace Kovacic in the team. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

On the other side of the spectrum, it is good to see the club selling players to raise funds for key signings in the market. They are linked with a move for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo. The Ecuadorian will cost a lot and would be a great addition to the squad.

Bolstering the centre-forward department is important too. Although Chelsea are close to signing Villarreal’s Nicolas Jackson, they might have to do more to improve the chances of the team scoring frequently compared to the previous few seasons.

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Lastly, we wish Kovacic all the best and hope he has a good time at Manchester City, except when he plays Chelsea. He is 29 and could have 3-4 years of elite-level football left in him.