Chelsea open to extending Mateo Kovacic deal

According to The Times, Chelsea are keen to extend Mateo Kovacic's contract with the club.

The Croatian midfielder's current deal expires in 2024 which puts in doubt his future at the club beyond this season.

Earlier reports suggested that Kovacic could be one of the players shipped off in the summer as a part of a clearout the club needs to perform to meet the Financial Fair Play demands.

However, Kovacic has stepped up massively as a team leader in recent games, performing well and showing leadership qualities with a captain's armband.

Manchester City are claimed to be monitoring Kovacic's contract situation, while AC Milan are also reportedly interested.