- City have tabled official bid
- Chelsea clearing out their squad
- Kovacic keen to make move happen
WHAT HAPPENED? City, per The Athletic, have made a written bid for Kovacic worth £25m, having held extensive talks with the midfielder and his entourage. Chelsea have previously given the player permission to speak with City, leading to him agreeing terms, and the two clubs are now working on the finer points of a deal, as Kovacic is keen to join the treble winners.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Chelsea have no choice but to sell this summer as they look to trim a bloated squad that has swelled since the takeover of Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly. A variety of players, including Hakim Ziyech and Edouard Mendy, have been linked with potential moves to Saudi Arabia, and Chelsea do not appear resistant to allowing Kovacic to move to City.
AND WHAT'S MORE: Manager Pep Guardiola is said to have admired Kovacic since he played for Real Madrid and has made his move, as the 29-year-old has just a year remaining on his contract. He made 37 appearances last season in all competitions.
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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT? City will hope to get a deal over the line as pre-season approaches; they face Bayern Munich in their first friendly on July 26 in Japan.
