Mateo Kovacic Reportedly Tells Real Madrid He Wants Summer Transfer
Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic has reportedly told the club he wants to leave this summer.
According to El Partidazo on Cadena Cope radio (h/t Sport), the Croatian is seeking a fresh challenge for the 2018-19 campaign, having joined the Santiago Bernabeu giants in 2015. His agent has reportedly made it clear to the club he wants out.
"The response from the club was a firm no and that they wouldn't be accepting any offers for him," relay Sport.
Kovacic is said to be frustrated at a lack of game time, as he has to compete with Casemiro, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos for a starting spot at Real.
Kovacic will consider personally asking the club for a move once Croatia's involvement in the 2018 FIFA World Cup is over. Los Blancos will have a new manager in place this season, with Julen Lopetegui taking over from Zinedine Zidane.
Kovacic's reported angst would be understandable, as he is fourth in the pecking order for a three- or two-man midfield in the Spanish capital.
The EiF Twitter account believes the time is right for the 24-year-old to go elsewhere in order to show off his talent:
Kovacic was highly rated before his move to Madrid, having previously impressed from a young age with Inter Milan.
However, upon joining Los Blancos there were worries about how much game time he would get with the trio in place, not to mention the likes of Isco and James Rodriguez, who operate in more advanced midfield roles.
While he has mainly impressed when given chances, Kovacic remained behind Modric, Kroos and Casemiro in the crucial games for Zidane. Last season he made just 10 La Liga starts for the European champions.
Still, he's regarded as a fine player and Grup14's Rafael Hernandez suggested Madrid's great rivals Barcelona should even take a punt on Kovacic:
The Croatian does have a number of qualities you would typically associate with the Blaugrana. His in-game intelligence makes Kovacic versatile in where he can operate, whereas on the ball he's composed in his distribution.
As these figures illustrate, Kovacic is also a central midfielder capable of committing opposition players in the middle of the field:
Madrid's reported reluctance to sell makes sense, as Kovacic is an excellent deputy for a number of players in their squad, and given Modric is now 32, they may have his fellow Croatian earmarked for a more important role in the future.
But at 24 Kovacic will want to be playing regularly. As things stand, it's tough to see his minutes improving significantly for Real Madrid next season.
