Transfer Centre

Report: Mateo Kovacic to leave Real Madrid

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 09 July 2017

A report claims that Real Madrid will sell Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic this summer after securing the signing of Dani Ceballos.

Real Madrid will reportedly sell Mateo Kovacic this summer after securing the signing of Dani Ceballos.

It is understood that Los Blancos have beaten the likes of Barcelona and Juventus to Real Betis midfielder Ceballos, who has agreed a six-year contract with the Spanish and European champions.

According to the Daily Star, boss Zinedine Zidane is wary of stockpiling midfielders at the Bernabeu, and Croatian international Kovacic will be made available for transfer ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.

Manchester United have been linked with a move for the 23-year-old in recent days, but the report claims that Tottenham Hotspur lead the race for a player that has scored three times in 73 appearances for Real Madrid over the last two seasons.

Kovacic, who only started 19 of the club's 38 league matches last season, has won La Liga, two Champions League titles, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup since arriving in the Spanish capital.