Chelsea are in talks to sign Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic after he told the Spanish club today that he wants to leave.
The 24-year-old Croatia international is keen to play more regularly than he does for Real but the club do not want to sell him because he is a good deputy for 32-year-old Luka Modric.
Real have Kovacic in mind for a larger role in the future and a loan move has been mooted. Chelsea is expected to have him on loan with a view to a permanent deal.
However, Modric is wanted by Inter Milan, which complicates the situation.
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Thibaut Courtois will not be at Chelsea training today and has been asked to attend a meeting with the club tomorrow.
The west London club are resigned to the Belgium goalkeeper leaving and have been exploring various goalkeeping options with Stoke City’s Jack Butland top of the list.
Kovacic appears to be the right kind of fit for new Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri who have only managed to sign one player, Jorginho from Napoli.
