Manchester United are looking to bolster their midfield options in the summer, and they have earmarked Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic as a potential target, as per journalist Pete O’Rourke.
The former Real Madrid midfielder is approaching the final year of his deal at Stamford Bridge and Football Insider claims that talks over a new deal have collapsed.
The 29-year-old joined Chelsea initially on loan in 2018 and later made the move permanent. He has managed 220 games in all competitions for the Blues and has been a key player for the club in recent years.
However, under Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea are set for a major summer revamp, with the club looking to offload a host of first-team players.
Kovacic is among those who could be offloaded due to his contract situation, and the Red Devils are closely monitoring his situation. Football Insider says that Man United could make a bid for the Croatian international, with the Blues wanting at least £30m for his signature.
Superb addition
It looks like Kovacic could leave Chelsea in the summer. Transfer insider Dean Jones claimed earlier that Kovacic is aware of the fact he will have some big offers on the table if he does look beyond life at Stamford Bridge.
Pochettino’s major task at Chelsea will be to sort out the bloated squad. There’s no doubt that the squad will be trimmed and the club may have to sell Kovacic to make space for new additions.
Man United need to add depth and quality in their midfield, especially if Scott McTominay leaves the club. The Red Devils are likely to spend big on a top-quality striker which could hamper their transfer budget for other areas.
Kovacic is a vastly experienced player who will be available at a decent price. Instead of going after players like Declan Rice or Moises Caicedo, getting Kovacic on board would be a smart option for United if they could get a deal agreed.
Read more: Man Utd eye move to sign £50m star in the summer.
