Barcelona 'eye Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic'

Barcelona are reportedly considering a surprise move for Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic.

The 23-year-old joined Real Madrid from Inter Milan in the summer of 2015, and the Croatian international has scored three times in 73 appearances for the Spanish giants over the last two seasons.

Kovacic only started 19 of Real Madrid's 38 La Liga matches last term, however, and it has been claimed that the midfielder is considering his future at the Bernabeu.

According to Don Balon, new Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde is a firm admirer of Kovacic's talents, and the Camp Nou outfit could launch a surprise swoop ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.

Kovacic, who started his career with Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb, has won La Liga, two Champions League titles, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup since joining Real Madrid.