Chelsea midfielder open to joining Premier League rivals this summer!

Mateo Kovacic wants to remain at Chelsea beyond this season but is open to joining a Premier League rival if the Blues are unable to avoid their transfer ban, according to reports in Spain. FIFA has prevented Chelsea from signing players for the next two transfer windows for breaching rules relating to overseas players under the age of 18, but the club have launched an appeal. Chelsea have hit out at FIFA’s decision to not suspend the ban whilst the appeal process is ongoing but the club could also take their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which could delay the suspension further.

Kovacic, meanwhile, is currently on loan at Chelsea for the remainder of the season but it is unclear whether his deal can be made permanent in the summer.

According to Marca, the Croatia international is keen to stay at Chelsea as they have given him more playing opportunities than he received under Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid.

But the report also claims that Kovacic has attracted interest from several other Premier League clubs and intends to continue playing in England after this season. Kovacic and his representatives are waiting to see the outcome of Chelsea’s appeal before making a decision and it’s claimed that the midfielder’s priority is to remain at Stamford Bridge. The 24-year-old has made 40 appearances in all competitions for Maurizio Sarri’s side this season.