Chelsea make Mateo Kovacic contract decision despite AC Milan meeting & Man City interest

Chelsea have made a decision over Mateo Kovacic’s future at the club, according to reports, amid interest from across Europe.

The 28-year-old is out of contract next summer and Chelsea will have to decide whether or not they want to keep Kovacic beyond this season once the 2022/23 campaign concludes.

The Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership have opted to go down the route of not allowing players to enter the final year of their contracts at Stamford Bridge in order to maximise the resale values if they are moved on.

Kovacic is one of the individuals who will need his future resolving this summer and indications have been, as per reports, that he will look to leave Chelsea after five years at the club.

Manchester City are monitoring the Croatian’s situation in west London, with Pep Guardiola an admirer of Kovacic.

While his entourage also held talks with AC Milan at a hotel last week to discuss a potential summer move amid claims in Italy suggesting Kovacic ‘offered himself’ to the Serie A outfit.

No contract talks have yet taken place with Chelsea over an extension for Kovacic. But, as reported by Tom Roddy of The Times, they are hoping to keep hold of him.

They are keen to extend his deal beyond 2024 to fend off interest from Man City and others, with the Blues well aware that they will face competition to keep hold of the midfielder, who initially joined on loan in 2018 before his move was made permanent from Real Madrid in the summer of 2019 for a fee in excess of £40 million.

Whether or not Kovacic is in Graham Potter‘s plans for next season remains unclear, but the 47-year-old has been extremely complimentary of him, which has also seen Kovacic captain Chelsea in recent weeks in Thiago Silva’s injury absence.

“He’s been the captain in both games (vs Leeds and Borussia Dortmund), that tells you how influential he is,” said the Chelsea head coach.

“He’s a fantastic guy, I really like him. Determined, character, courage to take the ball in tight situations, he’s fantastic.

“You can see what he’s achieved in his career for his national team, and for us at Chelsea. He’s an important player for us.”

Chelsea have several other contracts to resolve including N’Golo Kante and Mason Mount. A deal for Kante is close to being agreed, while talks with Mount have been put on hold until the summer.

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