Mateo Kovacic completes Chelsea departure and signs four-year contract with Manchester City

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Manchester City have completed the signing of Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea. </p>

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The Treble winners have announced the 29-year-old has signed a four-year contract at the Etihad Stadium after the clubs agreed an initial fee of £25million, with a potential extra £5million in add-ons, last week. </p>

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Kovacic joins Pep Guardiola's side after five years at Chelsea, where he won the Champions League and Europa League and made 221 appearances. </p>

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He is City's first signing of the summer and his arrival compensates for the departure of captain Ilkay Gundogan, who joined Barcelona on a free transfer on Monday after seven years at the club. </p>

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Kovacic said: "This is a brilliant move for me and I cannot wait to get started with City. </p>

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"Anyone who has watched this team under Pep knows how good they are. For me, they are the best in the world. </p>

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"The trophies they have won are clear for all to see, but they are also the best footballing side out there. </p>

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"To be joining this squad really is a dream for any footballer. I still have plenty of learning and developing to do, and I know under Pep's management I can become a better player, which is really exciting for me. </p>

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"My plan now is to rest for a few weeks before coming back to Manchester to prepare for the new season. I want to help this club stay at the top and win more trophies." </p>

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Kovacic is a four-time Champions League winner having also enjoyed success in Europe's elite competition three times with Real Madrid before joining the Blues. </p>

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A versatile player, he began his career with Dinamo Zagreb and has also had a spell at Inter Milan. He has earned 95 caps for his country and will inherit Gundogan's number eight shirt. </p>

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City director of football Txiki Begiristain said: "Mateo is an excellent footballer. </p>

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"He can play as a 'six' or an 'eight', has plenty of experience at top-level clubs and he understands the Premier League. </p>

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"It was a very simple decision to bring him to City because he has the tactical and technical qualities we are looking for in a midfielder. </p>

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"He is someone we have monitored for a very long time and always we were impressed whenever we watched him. I am delighted he is here. </p>

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"This is a great signing for this club, and I am very excited to watch what he can do with Pep and the rest of our backroom team." </p>

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Kovacic may not be Guardiola's only midfield reinforcement this summer, with speculation that the champions have had a bid rejected for West Ham's Declan Rice. </p>

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The England international is widely expected to leave the London Stadium and has reportedly already been the subject of two failed approaches from Arsenal. </p>

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It has been claimed City made an offer totalling £90million for the 24-year-old but the Hammers are said to be holding out for a fee of £100million. </p>

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City have not commented on the reports. </p>

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<p>The article <a href="https://www.planetsport.com/soccer/news/mateo-kovacic-completes-chelsea-departure-signs-four-year-contract-manchester-city">Mateo Kovacic completes Chelsea departure and signs four-year contract with Manchester City </a> appeared first on Planetsport.com.</p>