Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic is seriously considering his future at the club, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Croatian international will have just one year remaining on his contract at the end of the season, and Phillips claims the player may be seeking to depart Stamford Bridge:

“Kovacic, I think, I have been hearing that he’s been pondering a new challenge and pondering a move away. Whether Chelsea’s ambition in this window and going forward and the project changes his mind, I mean, it might, but from what I’m hearing, yeah, Kovacic is definitely one who could be going in the summer because Chelsea won’t want to let his contract run down, so they will look to get a fee for him.”

Kovacic has spent four and a half years with the Blues, spending his first season on loan from Real Madrid before joining on a permanent basis for £40m in the summer of 2019.

The 28-year-old has racked up 206 appearances during his time in England, and he remains a key player for Chelsea and manager Graham Potter.

Since his appointment back in September, Potter has started Kovacic regularly, even giving the Croatian the captain’s armband when the Blues took on Manchester City in the Carabao Cup back in November.

However, it appears Kovacic is looking for a fresh challenge and, as Phillips points out, if the player is not willing to sign a contract extension, the club will have to sell him next summer.