Manchester City’s Mateo Kovacic planning January departure amid Saudi interest

Mateo Kovacic is reportedly considering leaving Manchester City in the next winter transfer window after a difficult period at the club, with interest in the Croatia international coming from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Italy.

The previous season was the biggest setback of Kovacic’s career. He spent much of the campaign recovering from injury and made only nine appearances, totalling 242 minutes.

Despite being unavailable from September to March, Kovacic’s performances were not significantly affected when he did take to the field. However, his limited involvement has contributed to uncertainty over his future at Manchester City.

Croatian newspaper Jutarnji list reports that the midfielder had already wanted to leave after Enzo Fernandez arrived this summer. The move did not happen because there was not enough time to complete the necessary arrangements before the transfer window closed.

Kovacic had received a number of attractive offers, particularly from Turkey. Clubs in Saudi Arabia were also interested, while he had received approaches from Italy.

Kovacic facing reduced role

The report says it proved difficult to satisfy the interests of Manchester City, Kovacic and a potential new club. With time running out, the 32-year-old ultimately remained at the Etihad Stadium.

After only one month of the season, it had become apparent that Kovacic could face a challenging autumn, with his opportunities expected to come only intermittently.

However, he is also expected to feature in about 20 matches by the time the winter transfer window opens, in addition to his international commitments. Kovacic’s contract with Manchester City runs until the summer of 2027.

Even so, the report suggests that the midfielder may need to leave the club at that stage. Having spent the previous season dealing with operations and rehabilitation, Kovacic needs regular football and the opportunity to enjoy playing again.