Mateo Kovačić is being offered back to the club that first brought him to Serie A. Manchester City has proposed a deal to Inter Milan for the Croatian midfielder, and Inter is listening, though their checkbook only opens if other business gets done first.
The transfer is conditional. Inter needs to generate funds through sales before committing, and the most prominent name tied to a departure is Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich. Sell Çalhanoğlu, and suddenly there is room to bring back a familiar face.
A homecoming eleven years in the making
Kovačić spent two seasons at Inter between 2013 and 2015, arriving from Dinamo Zagreb for a reported €15M fee. He was 19 years old and already carrying serious expectations. The move to Real Madrid that followed in 2015 validated those expectations, and a career that has since included a Premier League title with Manchester City confirms he belongs among the elite tier of central midfielders in European football.
Now 31, Kovačić is in the final stretch of his City contract, which expires on June 30, 2027. His current market value sits at €10M, a figure that reflects both his age and his contract situation rather than his ability. City, aware they hold a depreciating asset, is open to offers. The realistic transfer range is between €10M and €15M, which by current market standards is modest for a player with his CV.
