Jose Mourinho has reportedly turned his attention towards Mateo Kovacic, and is plotting a move to bring the Real Madrid midfielder to Old Trafford.
Spanish publication Don Balon have reported that Jose Mourinho has turned his attention towards Real Madrid for another target. The Manchester United manager is interested in signing Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic in the summer transfer window.
Kovacic enjoyed a fruitful two-year spell with Inter Milan following which he joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2015. Los Blancos had taken no time to snap up a player who had been regarded as one of the most promising young midfielders in Europe, but the last two seasons have not been easy for him.
Kovacic has largely played second fiddle to Zinedine Zidane’s first-choice midfield trio, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro. As a result, the 23-year-old has managed to start just 35 games in the last two seasons with a further 38 appearances from the bench.
With the World Cup just a year away though, the player is believed to be keen to secure regular first-team football in order secure his place as a regular in Croatia manager Ante Cacic’s first-team plans.
The aforementioned prospect is something that is unlikely to come his way at Real Madrid, especially with Los Blancos seeking reinforcements in midfield this summer. Thus, a move away from the Santiago Bernabeu may be in the offing for Kovacic.
The player is generating heavy interest from Premier League, with Manchester United interested in signing him. Jose Mourinho is a huge admirer of Kovacic’s talents, and with midfield reportedly being a priority for the Portuguese manager this summer, he has set his sights on the Croat.
Michael Carrick has signed a one-year extension at Old Trafford, but the veteran Englishman is well into the twilight years of his career and at 35, he is unlikely to play a regular role for the Red Devils.
Hence, Kovacic is a viable target for Jose Mourinho to consider as he can combine with Ander Herrera at the centre of the park to provide Paul Pogba the freedom to express himself without much of a burden in terms of defensive workload.
Moreover, the youngster can learn by working alongside Carrick who can help him with his experience at the top level over the years. The report claims that Kovacic, too, is keen on moving to Manchester United in the summer, meaning a move could be possible.
So while Real Madrid are unwilling to part ways with the player just yet, the transfer just might see the light of the day. It now remains to be seen if Manchester United can stave off heavy competition to secure the services of Kovacic this summer.
