Chances of Kovacic returning to Real Madrid next season ‘next to none’ — report

According to Spanish newspaper AS, the chances of Real Madrid’s Mateo Kovacic, currently on a season-long loan at Chelsea, going back to the Santiago Bernabéu next summer are next to none.

The Spanish giants are said to be ‘very disappointed’ by the midfielder’s attitude in last summer’s transfer window, when he forced himself out of the club shortly after the end of his World Cup holidays. Now, they are apparently willing to listen to transfer offers.

The report claims both Chelsea and Spurs could be looking to make a bid. There had been some debate on whether Chelsea have a buy-option for Kovacic, but AS seem to believe no such clause exists. Still, Chelsea probably have the inside track on the 24-year-old, should we decide to pursue him, thanks to him enjoying his time at the Bridge so far and the two clubs having done business in the recent past with Morata and Courtois. The Blues could possibly leverage some of that relationship into negotiating a good price as Real would undoubtedly look to turn a tidy profit on their €29m investment in Kovacic three years ago, when they acquired him from Inter Milan.

Kovacic has done well at Chelsea thus far, locked in competition with Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek for minutes. While that situation has limited playing time for some of them, it’s also provided Chelsea with strength in depth unmatched in almos a decade, since the first season of Carlo Ancelotti.

Certainly, Chelsea and Kovacic have some important and tough decisions to make, but it’s probably to both his and our benefit to continue this relationship — as long as we can do so for a reasonable price of course.