Manchester City have apparently been told to fork out £35m if they wish to sign Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic this summer.
The Croatian is one of several players who could be axed by the Blues in the current transfer window as Todd Boehly desperately seeks to balance the books.
Kovacic has been a key performer for all of Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard this season, starting 17 Premier League games amid several niggling injury problems.
However, the 29-year-old's contract only runs until the summer of 2024, and an extension to those terms is looking increasingly unlikely to materialise.
As a result, a move away for Kovacic this summer is not beyond the realm of possibility, and Man City are believed to be leading the race for the ex-Real Madrid lynchpin.
The Premier League champions are understood to be making progress in negotiations with Kovacic's agent, as Pep Guardiola prepares for the expected departure of captain Ilkay Gundogan.
According to 90min, Man City have now been told that it will take a fee of £35m to prise Kovacic away from Stamford Bridge, which will not be a problem for Guardiola's side.
The Citizens have supposedly already reached an agreement with the Croatia international over personal terms, and they are optimistic of sealing a deal within the next few weeks.
However, no moves will be formalised before Man City's Champions League final showdown with Inter Milan, which takes place in Istanbul on June 10.
Kovacic initially joined Chelsea on a season-long loan from Real Madrid in the summer of 2018, and the Blues paid Los Blancos €45m (£38.8m) to sign him permanently at the end of the campaign.
The former Inter midfielder has since contributed six goals and 15 assists from 221 games in a Chelsea shirt, scoring two goals and setting up two more in 37 matches during the 2022-23 season.
Kovacic has helped Chelsea win the Champions League, Europa League, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup over the past four years, and he also captained the West London giants on three occasions in the recently-ended campaign.
The Chelsea man could arrive at the Etihad as a replacement for current Man City skipper Gundogan, who despite Guardiola's public plea for him to stay is expected to bid farewell to the Premier League champions at the end of the season.
A separate report from Sport claims that the Germany international is finally on the brink of sealing a summer move to Barcelona, who have offered him a three-year deal to fend off interest from Arsenal.
However, Gundogan affirmed that no decision had been made on his future after Saturday's FA Cup final with Manchester United, where the 32-year-old scored twice - including a record-breaking 12-second opener - to propel Man City to a 2-1 win as they continue their pursuit of a domestic and continental treble. body check tags ::
