Real Madrid Midfielder Demands Summer Exit After Growing Frustrated at Lack of First-Team Football
You may have thought that playing for 13-time European champions Real Madrid would be the dream job, but it seems that is no longer the case for Mateo Kovacic.
The Croatia midfielder, currently playing for his national side at the World Cup, has demanded to leave the Spanish club, according to COPE, citing a lack of first-team football.
Kovacic made 21 La Liga appearances for Real Madrid last season, but 11 of those appearances were made from the substitutes' bench.
At 24, Kovacic is arguably in the prime of the career, but frustratingly for the Croat, he is spending most of his time watching Real's other stars start ahead of him.
According to reports, he has offered an ultimatum to the Real hierarchy, that either he is offered regular first-team football, or he is leaving. He will have to make a decision when he returns from Russia, as to whether he will submit a formal transfer request.
If he does decide to leave Real, he is likely to have plenty of clubs cueing up for his services. Any of the Premier League's big six would be interested, with Jose Mourinho's Manchester United rumoured to be one of the favourites to sign the midfielder should he come available.
Kovacic won't come cheaply however. His contract doesn't expire until 2021, with his weekly wage estimated to be around £70,000 per week.
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The Croatian signed for Los Blancos from Inter back in 2015 for an estimated £25 million, so Real will surely look to make a profit on him given the prices now seen in the transfer market.
