Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic could leave the club in the summer, as there are just 16 months remaining on his contract. As such, the Blues will look to move him on in the summer, according to the Evening Standard.

Manchester City are thought to be interested in the player – with Ilkay Gundogan’s contract set to expire in the summer, Kovacic could be an ideal (not to mention cheap) replacement for the German midfield general. Manchester United are also linked with a move for the Croatian.

On top of this, with Thomas Tuchel’s arrival at Bayern Munich, it is thought that he could be interested in bringing several of his former Blues players with him. One of them is Kovacic, who arguably enjoyed his best years as a player under Tuchel’s guidance.

However, does Kovacic still have a part to play at Chelsea? He hasn’t had the best of seasons at Stamford Bridge so far – but this can be mostly attributed to the slew of injuries that the Croatian has suffered throughout the course of the campaign.

In total, Kovacic has made 27 appearances for Chelsea across all competitions this season, scoring two goals and notching up a single assist. The former Real Madrid man isn’t known for his goalscoring abilities – his true value lies in his unstoppable engine and anticipation skills in midfield.

If Kovacic is sold, he will need replacing. The 28-year-old isn’t Chelsea’s most talented player, but the energy he provides in the middle of the park will be sorely missed upon his eventual departure from the club.