What should Real Madrid do with Mateo Kovacic?
As Real Madrid looks forward to what is expected to be a very busy summer transfer window, the first order of business will be deciding who is returning from loan during this summer. In addition to some other big names, Mateo Kovacic will return after the finalization of his loan spell with Chelsea.
I’m a big advocate of the belief that if a player does not want to be part of the club then they should leave no matter who they are or what they could potentially offer. In my opinion, Mateo Kovacic falls under that category after making it clear that he wanted to leave last summer and during his time with Chelsea.
Initially, Real Madrid used him in the deal to bring Thibaut Courtois to the capital of Spain. A loan deal for a player who desperately wanted minutes was always going to go well. Add to that the fact that he also wanted to leave and there isn’t much else the club could do.
As time went on with the Croatian in the English Premier League, he has made it clear that he would like to stay there as Maurizio Sarri also confirmed that he would like to keep Kovacic at the club:
"“I want to try with Kovacic. He is only on loan, of course, but I’d like very much that Kovacic will stay with us.”"
Unfortunately for the manager and the player, this may not be in their hands after Chelsea were handed a transfer ban which they have appealed.
In any case, I think it’s fair to assume that Mateo Kovacic is done with Real Madrid. Even if he returns to the club and cannot sign for Chelsea, Los Merengues will probably have to find another place for him.
However, if Chelsea is able to make signings then they may look at another loan or even potentially include him in a deal that lets Eden Hazard go to Spain. Either way, a player who isn’t fully convinced by the club he’s playing for is a player that has to leave if possible.
This should not be mistaken with whether I am a fan of Kovacic or not because I genuinely like what he offers and I feel that he is an asset to Real Madrid. But, there is no point in keeping a player who doesn’t want to stay.
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With a summer of big changes on its way, Real Madrid will have to look at every possibility and if they want to make some of the signings that they are hoping for, then the sale of Kovacic will go a long way in assisting them to raise the transfer budget.
Kovacic leaving is a loss but he is replaceable in a position which Real Madrid already have a surplus of (even if Luka Modric leaves as well). Add to that the rumors circulating in regards to Paul Pogba, selling Kovacic is almost a must for Los Blancos.