Manchester United Transfer News: Mateo Kovacic Targeted Amid Latest Rumours
Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a potential move for out-of-favour Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic.
According to Le 10 Sport (via Calciomercato.com), the 23-year-old is also wanted by former club Inter Milan, but United are interested in him as a replacement for Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini.
The 36-year-old Carrick is retiring at the end of the season and Fellaini, 30, is out of contract in the summer, while Kovacic is keen for additional game time given his limited role at Real, the report added.
Croatia international Kovacic joined Real from Inter for €30 million (£26.1 million) in 2015.
It always seemed likely he would struggle for regular first-team action given the presence of superlative central duo Luka Modric and Toni Kroos in Real's squad, and so it has proved.
He was handed a respectable 19 starts in La Liga last season by manager Zinedine Zidane.
In 2017-18, though, he has played only 170 minutes in the Spanish top flight, comprising one start and six appearances as a substitute.
There is no shame in being unable to unseat Kroos and Modric from the first team given they are two of modern football's most accomplished midfielders.
However, Kovacic is too talented a footballer to simply sit on the bench, and he is surely eager for more game time, particularly with the 2018 FIFA World Cup on the horizon.
Carrick has opted to retire having spent much of this season sidelined, and his absence has revealed a lack of depth in United's engine room.
With Fellaini also having endured fitness issues in 2017-18, Nemanja Matic has been heavily relied upon in the deep-lying midfield role, while Paul Pogba has been burdened with defensive responsibilities that have sometimes stifled his attacking brilliance.
Kovacic could add necessary depth to Jose Mourinho's United squad, and a potential midfield three of the Croatian, Matic and Pogba could be very effective.
Per WhoScored.com, Kovacic can be a menace on the ball, and he boasts an admirable passing range and fine defensive technique:
Mourinho is desperately keen to hold on to Fellaini past the end of the current campaign, per James Ducker of the Telegraph.
With Carrick retiring, though, United still need to bolster their engine room, and Kovacic could be an ideal addition.
