Turkish media reports that at the request of head coach Jose Mourinho, Fenerbahce has renewed its interest in Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic, with a transfer specialist also heading to Manchester to push the deal.
The 30-year-old Kovacic is about to embark on his second season at the Etihad Stadium. In the first round of the league, Manchester City will face Kovacic’s former club Chelsea. The Croatian international made 47 appearances for Manchester City last season. Last summer, he moved to East Manchester from West London for a transfer fee of £25 million.
Kovacic is a “champion”, having won four Champions League titles in his career. In his first season at Manchester City, he won the Premier League, the European Super Cup, and the Club World Cup. He also started in the recent Community Shield match, where Manchester City won. His current contract with Manchester City expires in 2027. The midfielder participated in the European Championships this summer and joined Manchester City’s US pre-season training. He scored his first goal for Manchester City in the Club World Cup last year.
Turkish media confirmed that Fenerbahce manager Mourinho personally requested the signing of the 30-year-old Kovacic before the transfer window closes. Fenerbahce was recently eliminated from the Champions League qualifiers by Ligue 1 side Lille with a 2-3 aggregate score. However, after the defeat, Mourinho stated that it would be difficult for Fenerbahce to go further if they participate in the Champions League, but if they participate in the Europa League, the team would have a better chance of competing until the later stages. The former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and Manchester United manager believes that Kovacic could significantly improve the team’s competitiveness.
It is reported that Fenerbahce officials will head to Manchester to discuss the possibility of the deal. The team will try to convince the Croatian midfielder to join his former manager. British media, however, pointed out that Manchester City are short of midfielders due to injuries at the start of the season. However, the former Real Madrid player could still leave, as the Sky Blues are planning to sign another midfielder before the summer window closes.
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