Tuesday saw the completion of Manchester City’s acquisition of Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea on a four-year deal worth 25 million pounds ($31.9 million) with add-ons.
The 29-year-old Croatian midfielder, who was a member of Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League-winning squad, is City’s first acquisition following its treble-winning campaign last year.
The Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup were all won by Pep Guardiola’s squad, making them just the second English team to do it.
Kovacic declared, “This is a brilliant move for me, and I cannot wait to start playing for City.” Everyone who has followed this squad under Pep knows how talented they are; in my opinion, they are the finest in the world.
“They are the best footballing team in the world, and the trophies they have won are obvious to all. Any football player would consider it a dream to be a part of this team.
One day after Ilkay Gundogan concluded his trophy-laden seven-year stint with City by agreeing to join Barcelona on a free transfer, Kovacic’s acquisition will give depth to City’s midfield.
Kovacic has previously played for Real Madrid and Inter Milan. He was a member of the Madrid team that captured three straight Champions League championships between 2016 and 2018.
He is among a number of Chelsea players that are anticipated to leave this summer.
While Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal) and N’Golo Kante (Al-Ittihad) have departed to play in Saudi Arabia, Kai Havertz and Mason Mount, who play for Arsenal and Manchester United respectively, are still targets for both teams.
For Chelsea, Kovacic made 227 appearances and contributed six goals. He also won the Europa League, Super Cup, and Club World Cup in addition to the Champions League.
He is capable of playing as a 6 or an 8, has extensive experience at top-tier clubs, and is familiar with the Premier League. He possesses the tactical and technical skills we are seeking for in a midfielder, so it was a very easy decision to bring him to City,” said Txiki Begiristain, City’s director of football.
He is a person we had closely studied for a very long time, and each time we did, we were impressed.