Chelsea star closing in on Manchester City summer switch

Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic is very close to moving to Manchester City

As per Football Insider (h/t Evening Standard), Manchester City are very close to signing Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic in the summer transfer window. The deal is believed to be 99% complete.

A few days ago, Chelsea gave City the permission to speak to Kovacic for a possible deal. The Croatian international was likely to leave the club as he entered the final 12 months of his contract.

The 29-year-old was a key player in the Chelsea setup for the past few years since moving from Real Madrid. His energy in midfield along with quality on the ball was great.

If we look at the numbers, Kovacic scored six goals and assisted 15 in 221 appearances in all competitions for the Blues. Out of all the good things he did for the team in midfield, goal contribution was not the one.

With the Croatian all but gone, Chelsea may have to be clever in the market in finding his replacement. The club may lose more midfielders this summer with Ruben Loftus-Cheek giving the green light to his move to AC Milan. Mason Mount is on his way to Manchester United with personal terms agreed.

Moreover, N’Golo Kante’s contract expires in the summer (Transfermarkt). The Frenchman expressed his desire to be a part of the Chelsea future. But, no news on his extension yet.

A lot can happen between now and the end of the summer window. The window hasn’t even started yet. Chelsea could undergo a squad revamp in central midfield with many departures on the cards.

More Chelsea News:

• Chelsea will need to fork out £40m to secure Brentford star David Raya
• Thiago Silva comments on post claiming Chelsea’s Mason Mount has agreed terms with Manchester United
• “It’s been a tough time”: 26-year-old confirms he won’t be at Chelsea next season

While letting Kovacic go is not the end of the world, doing so to a rival Premier League club makes no sense. The Croatian was a fantastic servant for the Blues. He would do the same in Manchester and improve Pep Guardiola’s team.