Manchester City announce signing of Mateo Kovačić

by croatiaweek
June 27, 2023
in Sport

After Dinamo Zagreb, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and Chelsea, the Croatian international has signed for the current UEFA Champions League champions.

Mateo Kovacic (29) has signed for Manchester City, the club confirmed today. Everything was agreed upon on Wednesday, and after medical examinations, the midfielder signed the contract through until June 2027.

Chelsea, with whom he still had a year left on his contract, will receive 29 million euros, with an additional 5.8 million euros that can be earned through bonuses, 24sata reports.

Dinamo Zagreb will also benefit from Kovačić’s transfer, thanks to UEFA’s solidarity fund, which includes a rule stipulating five percent compensation to clubs that have developed a player between the ages of 13 and 23. Dinamo will receive two percent, approximately 583,000 euros, into their coffers, ten and a half years after he left Maksimir.

Kovačić’s journey began at Inter (97 matches), from where he moved to Real (109), then to Chelsea (221), and now to Manchester City.

Welcome, Mateo! 🩵 pic.twitter.com/qlGd4DtqwI
— Manchester City (@ManCity) June 27, 2023

Previously, Vedran Ćorluka represented Manchester City among Croatians, making 47 appearances from 2007 to 2008, with one goal and three assists, while Ante Palaversa (23), whom City bought from Hajduk for 6.3 million euros in 2019, never played an official match for the “Citizens.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Manchester City (@mancity)

Kovačić is already the undisputed Croatian record holder when it comes to transfer fees. In January 2013, he moved from Dinamo to Inter for 11 million euros, and two and a half years later, Real Madrid bought him for 38 million euros. After a loan spell at Chelsea in the summer of 2018, the London club redeemed him for 45 million euros a year later, and now he will move to the European champions for a fixed fee of 29 million euros, with the possibility of 5.8 million euros in bonuses.