Manchester City set to finalise first signing of summer after submitting eight-figure bid

Manchester City have submitted an official £25 million bid for Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic, and hope to finalise the transfer this week.

Pep Guardiola is preparing to strengthen his treble-winning midfield with the addition of Mateo Kovacic, who has spent five years in the Premier League after moving from Real Madrid to Chelsea in 2018.

The 29 year-old has one-year remaining on his current Chelsea contract and is one of several players looking to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

Kovacic looks set to become Manchester City’s first signing of the summer, with the Blues having submitted an official bid to Chelsea after previously agreeing personal terms with the midfielder.

City, who could lose both Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva this summer, also face the prospect of being without Kevin De Bruyne for the start of the new season, after the Belgian snapped his hamstring during the first half of the Champions League Final in Istanbul.

The Sky Blues have been targeting Kovacic for a matter of months, and according to Sam Lee at The Athletic, Manchester City have now submitted an official written bid for Croatian international.

City have submitted a £25 million bid reports the journalist, with the two clubs now looking to finalise a deal for the 29 year-old.

A deal is now ‘close’ according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, who claims that an agreement ‘should be finalised this week’ for a transfer fee around €30 million, including bonuses.

The 29 year-old featured in 27 Premier League matches for Chelsea last season and has also won the Champions League and Europa League with the West London club.

Kovacic could be the first of two Croatian’s to join Manchester City this summer, with the Premier League champions also reportedly working on a deal to sign RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.

The Chelsea player might not be City’s only midfield addition, with suggestions that Manchester City could rival Arsenal for the signature of Declan Rice.