Mateo Kovacic keen on Manchester City move as Pep Guardiola steps up pursuit of £85m-rated Aymeric Laporte replacement

Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic is reportedly keen on joining Manchester City in the summer if a fee can be agreed over a move.

Kovacic has been heavily linked with a potential switch to the north-west as uncertainty looms over what the coming months hold for Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan in Manchester.

Borussia Dortmund starlet Jude Bellingham is set to be confirmed as a Real Madrid player, with Manchester City exploring other options to boost their midfield line after completing a historic treble this season.

A 1-0 triumph over Inter in the Champions League final on Saturday completed the set for the Blues, who also picked up their second FA Cup and fifth Premier League title under Pep Guardiola on their way to a maiden European cup in Istanbul.

However, there have been indications that a busy summer lies ahead for the Champions League winners, who are looking to build on an incredible campaign and push on further.

An exit has been heavily touted for Aymeric Laporte, who fell down the pecking order in defence this season and is understood to be keen on a new challenge in search of regular first-team football.

RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol is one of Manchester City’s leading targets for the summer transfer window but it is understood that only a huge outlay would persuade the German side to cash in on the 21-year-old defender.

As per Jack Gaughan of the Daily Mail, Manchester City are now ready to progress their pursuit of Gvardiol, who is valued at £85 million, with Laporte expected to leave before next season.

Fabrizio Romano adds that RB Leipzig are adamant on selling if and only if a world-record fee is tabled for the Croatia international, who is excited by the prospect of making a sensational switch to the Etihad Stadium.

City often get their most important deals over the line early in the transfer window and that could very well be the case for Mateo Kovacic, who is keen to join forces with Pep Guardiola if a fee can be agreed with Chelsea.

It appears that Kalvin Phillips is set to stay at Manchester City into next season amidst doubts over his future at the club following his struggles for minutes since he joined from Leeds last summer.

Manchester City are also understood to have offered an improved contract renewal offer to skipper Gundogan, who is weighing his options amid interest from Barcelona as he approaches the final weeks of his current deal.