The clearout begins! Chelsea prepared to let Mateo Kovacic leave in the summer amid interest from Bayern Munich, Manchester City & Manchester United

• Kovacic likely to leave Chelsea
• Entering final year of contract
• And attracting interest from big clubs

WHAT HAPPENED? With his contract set to expire in 2024 and the chances of him signing a new one seemingly unlikely, The Guardian report that Kovacic is likely to leave Chelsea this summer with interest in the midfielder piling up from several high-profile sides.

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THE BIGGER PICTURE: Chelsea need to find a way to decrease the size of their incredibly bloated first-team squad ahead of next season, and the report claims that Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are reluctant to keep players who are entering the final 12 months of their deal. That, combined with a need to raise funds, means Kovacic is well-positioned to become one of several big-name departures.

AND WHAT'S MORE: Bayern Munich are keeping tabs on the Croatian midfielder, with Manchester City also following the situation closely as they potentially prepare to say goodbye to Ilkay Gundogan. Another club linked is Manchester United, whose search for another fresh face in midfield this summer is common knowledge - the Red Devils have also been linked to Mason Mount, who finds himself in a similar position to Kovacic.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT FOR KOVACIC? The 29-year-old can put himself in the shop window ahead of the summer in what remains of a dismal 2022-23 campaign for Chelsea, which will see them finish without any European football.