Kovacic: I'm staying at Inter

Croatia playmaker Mateo Kovacic has ruled out a move to the Premier League this summer, instead expressing a wish to remain at Inter Milan.

The 21-year-old has been strongly linked with Liverpool, with reports in La Gazzetta dello Sport claiming the Reds are willing to spend £21m on the player.

However, Kovacic, who signed a contract extension with Inter for another four seasons back in January, has no intention of leaving San Siro any time soon.

"Inter have never said they want to sell me, never," Kovacic toldGazzetta. "I want to stay here. I will not leave.

"That's what I wanted, that's what my renewal until 2019 shows, there will be a long relationship between myself and Inter."

Liverpool sold forward Raheem Sterling to Manchester City on Tuesday for a fee that could rise to as much as £49m and have money to spend in the transfer market.

"Could I replace Sterling? We have two different roles," Kovacic said. "It's not for me to say whether there have been any offers from the Reds or not, hopefully that's down to my agent.

"That said, I reiterate that I want to stay here."

Since joining Inter from Dinamo Zagreb in January 2013, Kovacic has made 80 league appearances for the Nerazzurri.

He scored five goals and set up three more in 35 Serie A appearances last season, but Inter finished a disappointing eighth in Serie A and will not play in Europe next season.

Like Inter, Kovacic believes his best is yet to come.

"I want to show that I deserve Inter," he said. "I want to win with this jersey.

"Inter is like Real [Madrid] or Barcelona."