Manchester City have held talks with Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic about a summer move to the Etihad Stadium, according to a recent report from N1.
What's the latest Manchester City transfer news?
Man City have already started to run the rule over a number of targets for the summer transfer window, with it recently being reported they are preparing a bid for Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, who could cost well over £100m.
It is clear that Pep Guardiola will need to bring in a new central midfielder this summer, as Ilkay Gundogan is reportedly set to become a free agent at the end of the season, with the German looking at a move to Barcelona.
The Citizens have been targeting Kovacic for a little while now, with it previously being reported they sense an opportunity to prise him away from Chelsea, as his contract with the Blues is set to expire at the end of next season.
Now, City have taken the first steps towards signing the Croatian, as N1 report the player's representatives have traveled to London and held the first round of negotiations with the club about a summer move.
Guardiola is personally said to be very keen on the central midfielder, and it is assumed he would be brought in as a replacement for Kalvin Phillips, who is apparently close to signing for Aston Villa.
Given that Chelsea have not managed to reach an agreement about a contract extension, the 28-year-old could be available for a fee of around £30m this summer.
Should Man City sign Mateo Kovacic?
Akin to the rest of the Chelsea squad, the midfielder's form has dipped a little this season, averaging just a 6.77 match rating from Sofascore, a significant decrease on the 7.20 rating from the previous campaign.
However, the maestro has continued to impress for national side Croatia, ranked as their best-performing player in the recent Euro 2024 qualifiers, while he also played every game en-route to their third-place finish at the World Cup.
Hailed as "unbelievable" and "smooth under pressure" by the media, the Austria-born midfielder could be a very good fit in a Guardiola system, given that he ranks in the 93rd percentile for passes attempted per 90 over the course of the past year.
With Gundogan set to depart, Man City undoubtedly need to strengthen in the engine room this summer, and Kovacic would be an excellent addition, with proven Premier League experience, having made 138 appearances in the top flight with Chelsea.