Manchester City considering move for Chelsea midfielder as he nears contract expiry

Manchester City eased past Championship side Bristol City in their FA Cup fifth round tie on Tuesday evening, with Phil Foden and Kevin de Bruyne among the goals. 

The England international scored either side of half-time, before De Bruyne added a third with a long-range strike in the closing stages.

City are now in the last eight of the competition and will discover their quarter-final opponents on Wednesday evening, with the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton and Hove Albion still in the competition at present.

City boss Pep Guardiola once again rotated his side for the visit to the south west, with the likes of Ilkay Gundogan and Erling Haaland dropping to the bench.

The former’s future at The Etihad remains uncertain as he nears the expiry of his current contract, which runs until this summer.

Guardiola could face something of a dilemma this summer, with Gundogan potentially leaving as a free agent and Bernardo Silva, who has requested to leave the club twice in recent seasons, also unclear on his plans.

With that in mind, City are looking at potential targets to bolster their midfield this summer, and one of Chelsea’s current stars is said to be of interest to the club.

Kovacic is nearing the end of his current contract and Manchester City are considering a move for him

According to The Telegraph, City are considering a move for Mateo Kovacic as a potential alternative to prime target Jude Bellingham.

Bellingham, 19, is set to be the target of interest from a number of clubs across Europe this summer but City are now considering alternative options.

Kovacic, who joined Chelsea from Real Madrid in 2018, has established himself as one of the Premier League’s best midfielders in recent seasons.

The Croatia international has made more than 200 appearances for The Blues, but his current contract is due to expire in the summer of 2024 and it is unclear whether or not it will be extended.

City boss Guardiola is said to be an admirer of Kovacic, who has lifted the Champions League four times throughout his career, including with Chelsea in 2021.

City were also said to be interested in the midfielder five years ago, although he ultimately opted to join Chelsea when he left the Spanish capital.

The contracts of N’Golo Kante and ex-Blues midfielder Jorginho were both set to expire at the end of the current season, but the former is expected to sign an extension in the coming weeks and the Italy international joined Arsenal in January.

The futures of the likes of Conor Gallagher and Ruben Loftus-Cheek remain uncertain, with Chelsea having recruited no fewer than 16 new players since Boehly took charge of the club last summer.