RUN FOR KOVA Chelsea tie up first transfer of Lampard era with £45m Kovacic deal… despite Real Madrid player scoring no goals and claiming just two assists last season
CHELSEA are close to signing loan flop Mateo Kovacic for £45million in a permanent deal.
Posted Friday, June 28, 2019 by Thesun.co.uk
Di Marzio claims Chelsea will make the Real Madrid midfielder the first signing of the Frank Lampard era at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea are close to a £45m deal for loanee Mateo Kovacic
Credit: Getty Images
That’s despite Kovacic failing to impress under predecessor Maurizio Sarri, scoring zero goals and registering just two assists in 51 appearances.
It’s said that Chelsea will pay £45m for Kovacic, with Real happy to sell after poaching Eden Hazard from West London.
The Blues are able to buy the Croatian despite being under a transfer embargo because his loan deal was agreed last year.
It means Kovacic will get another chance to win over the Matthew Harding and Shed End faithful, who were left bemused by how little impact he made in matches.
But there is sure to be a casualty in midfield as a result, with the Blues’ squad bursting at the seams and Lampard expected to continue with Sarri’s 4-3-3 shape.
Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are sure to be in the first-team squad next season.
While Mason Mount and Tiemoue Bakayoko will also be pushing for involvement in Lampard’s plans.
But with Kovacic set to stay, it’s likely that one of them will not be playing for Chelsea next term.
Fans were quick to express their opinions on Twitter, with one saying: “We’ve just spent half the Hazard money Madrid gave us on Kovacic from Madrid, Chelsea Football Club.”
Another wrote: “A good season for Chelsea would be 7th. Lampard as manager, no new transfers coming in, Kovacic the best they can sign. Done out here.”
One tweeted: “Even a transfer ban couldn’t stop us wasting 50 million on Kovacic.”
Another noted: “Should be saving that Kovacic money for next summer and buying someone who’ll seriously improve us.”
One added: “That Kovacic signing is the dumbest there is yet… in the office and still thinking about this madness… doesn’t make one iota of sense.”
We’ve just spent 1/2 the Hazard money Madrid gave us on Kovacic from Madrid, Chelsea Football Club
— CFC Éire (@CFC_Eire) June 26, 2019
A good season for Chelsea next season would be 7th.
Lampard as manager,
No new transfers coming in,
Kovacic the best they can sign.
Done out here. #CFC
— George Heath. (@thegeorgeheath) June 27, 2019
Even a transfer ban couldn't stop us wasting 50 million on Kovacic pic.twitter.com/Vf0fLRMdp2
— Ollie (@BehanCFC) June 27, 2019
Should be saving that Kovacic money for next summer and buying someone who'll seriously improve us
— Sam (@Sam_Hamlet) June 27, 2019
That Kovacic signing is the dumbest there is yet... in the office and still thinking about this madness.. doesn't make one iota of sense
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