Exclusive: €30m deal mooted as Spanish giants poised to take advantage of Man City clear out | OneFootball

This summer is expected to see a huge turnaround of players in and out at Man City, with Atletico Madrid in the hunt for midfielder, Mateo Kovacic.

It had seemed as thoughKovacic might be moved on in January, but a deal for the Croatian never materialised.

Kevin De Bruyne will apparently head a clear out at the Etihad Stadium, and CaughtOffside sources believe that Kovacic will be part of that cull.

Mateo Kovacic looking for pastures new

That’s because, as sources exclusively reveal, he is attracting interest from Atletico Madrid.

The Spanish giants are known to have begun making concrete moves with both the player and Man City about a potential transfer this summer.

Mateo Kovacic of Manchester City looks dejected during the Premier League match against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on February 02, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

City are certainly open to the idea of selling Kovacic as part of a squad revolution this summer, and sources understand that the Cityzens have already identified Ederson from Atalanta as his natural replacement to bolster their midfield.

The transfer fee for the Croatian would likely be in the region of €30m, although it’s believed that Atleti might want to try and reduce that asking price.

Kovacic’s contract doesn’t expire until 2027, but the Rojiblancos want to capitalise on the fact that City want to make significant squad changes.

Interestingly, Fenerbahce are also interested in him and Jose Mourinho tried to sign him for Manchester United in 2018.

Spanish adventure for Mateo Kovacic?

However, sources have indicated to CaughtOffside that the combative midfielder prefers to stay in a top five European league and is not keen on a move to Turkey as things stand.

The 30-year-old will almost certainly welcome the chance to re-establish himself as a starter somewhere else, and Atleti is as good a place as any.

He would get the chance to team up with fellow ex-City man, Julian Alvarez, should the deal be completed.