Mateo Kovacic was born in Austria, starting his career in the academy of the local club LASK Linz prior to moving to Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb.

Even before making his senior debut, the midfielder suffered a major setback in his career, breaking his leg which kept him on the sidelines for a lengthy period.

However, Kovacic did eventually return to match fitness and within months of making his comeback in 2010, he had made his first appearance for Dinamo’s first team against Hrvatski Dragovoljac.

The Croatian spent the best part of two seasons establishing himself as a regular starter before one of Europe’s giants came calling.

Kovacic’s time in Italy, Spain and Chelsea

Inter Milan snapped up the midfielder for €15m during the 2013 January transfer window and, while he did not win any trophies during his two and a half years at the San Siro, he had improved his reputation to the extent that Real Madrid wanted him.

The 15-time European champions made a €29m offer for Kovacic in the summer of 2015, and the bid was accepted due to Nerazurri’s financial problems. Over the next three seasons, he would win the La Liga title, collect three Champions League winners medals and lift five other trophies.

His time at the Bernabeu came to a close at the end of the 2017/18 campaign, with the Spanish giants sanctioning a loan move to Chelsea.

Kovacic’s arrival at Stamford Bridge coincided with a tumultuous period in the club’s history but he won the Europa League in his first season before making the switch to London on a permanent basis. He subsequently won the Champions League for the fourth time in his career in 2021, along with the Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

His time at Manchester City

With Chelsea undergoing a major transformation under new ownership, the Blues sanctioned the midfielder’s £25m transfer to the Etihad at the start of last season.

Kovacic took a while to get going during his first campaign in Manchester but he caught the eye with some impressive displays after Christmas as Pep Guardiola’s men secured yet another Premier League title. Like most of his teammates, the 2024/25 season has proven more of a challenge for him.

Career achievements

• He has won 22 major honours in his career to date, including one Premier League title, four Champions Leagues, four UEFA Super Cups and four FIFA Club World Cups.
• Kovacic was named the Croatian Hope of the Year in 2011.
• He was awarded Chelsea’s Player of the Season in 2019/20.

Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here