Chelsea appear to accidentally leak permanent signing of Mateo Kovacic
Chelsea have seemingly announced the signing of Mateo Kovacic prematurely on the club’s app.
Kovacic is expected to join the club following his loan spell last season. The club are yet to formally announce the Croatian’s arrival, but an article appeared on the club’s official app on Saturday night stating that Kovacic has already signed for the Blues.
On the club’s app ‘The Fifth Stand’, an article entitled ‘My Footballing Firsts’ was released, which contained Kovacic speaking about how he felt when he signed for Chelsea, as well as explicitly stating that the Croatian had ‘secured a permanent switch’.
Kovacic was quoted: “It was an amazing feeling to sign for Chelsea, first on loan and now permanently.
‘It is a fantastic club, with great team-mates and we play a good style of football.
‘I am very happy to be staying here and very proud to be a Chelsea player.”
Credit: Mail Online
Credit: Mail Online
Chelsea are currently under a transfer ban, which is preventing them from signing players until 2020. Kovacic is eligible to be signed, however, since he was registered as a Chelsea player at the time the ban was implemented by Fifa.
Kovacic racked up 51 appearances for the Blues last season, helping the club to a Europa League triumph and a third-place finish in the Premier League. He will be Frank Lampard’s first signing as Chelsea manager – beyond the arrival of Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund – and most likely the last of this window, unless the Blues take up their permanent option on Gonzalo Higuain.
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Where will Kovacic fit in under Lampard? Five things to know…
- Kovacic is known for his ball-carrying abilities, often breaking forward from midfield.
- He played alongside N’Golo Kante last season in a box-to-box midfield role.
- Kovacic has previously said his favoured position is as a deep-lying playmaker.
- Lampard likes playing three in midfield with two inside forwards.
- Kovacic will find himself in competition with Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek next season.
