June 27, (THEWILL) – Manchester City have confirmed the acquisition of Croatian midfielder, Mateo Kovacic, from Chelsea, filling the void left by departing captain, Ilkay Gundogan, as promptly as possible.
The English treble winners announced that the 29-year-old has signed a four-year contract, with an initial transfer fee of £25 million and the potential for an additional £5 million in add-ons. Kovacic, who spent five successful years at Chelsea, securing both the UEFA Champions League and Europa League titles during his tenure, was excited about joining Pep Guardiola’s squad, praising their exceptional footballing abilities and their impressive trophy record.
The signing of Kovacic marks City’s first acquisition of the transfer window and compensates for the departure of Gundogan, who recently moved to Barcelona on a free transfer after spending seven seasons at the club. Kovacic, delighted about his new venture, stated: “This is a brilliant move for me and I cannot wait to get started with City. Anyone who has watched this team under Pep knows how good they are. For me, they are the best in the world. The trophies they have won are clear for all to see, but they are also the best footballing side out there.”
The versatile player arrives at the Etihad Stadium with a wealth of experience. He has triumphed in the UEFA Champions League on four occasions, three times with Real Madrid and once with Chelsea. Starting his career at Dinamo Zagreb before a stint at Inter Milan, Kovacic has also represented his country in 95 international matches.
City’s Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain, was a satisfied man with the move. He remarked that Kovacic possessed the tactical and technical qualities sought after in a midfielder, making the decision to bring him to the club an easy one.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
