Reports: Real Madrid star goes 'AWOL' to push through a move to the Premier League

What's the rumour?

According to reports from The Sun, Mateo Kovacic has finally had enough and is determined to force a move away from the Los Blancos before the transfer window ends. Kovacic wants his future resolved as soon as possible and ideally, that means a move away from Real Madrid.

Waiting on the sidelines of this conflict are Chelsea and Manchester City. Both the clubs are eager to add a midfielder to their ranks before the transfer window shuts. Kovacic fits the bill perfectly and is most likely going to be subject to a bidding war between the two clubs.

In case you didn't know..

Kovacic joined Real Madrid in 2015 but since his move to the Bernabeu, he's not made a big impact at the club. Hence, he's always been subject to a move away from the club. But surprisingly, the club's higher management rate Kovacic very highly and believe that he is the future of Real Madrid.

When asked about Kovacic's future, Real Madrid's director Jose Angel Sanchez had this to say, "Kovacic is not for sale, we will never sell him. He is one of the players the club’s future relies on."

Kovacic, on the other hand, has other plans. This is the third time that he's informed Real Madrid of his intention to leave the club. And this time, he's serious.

A couple of weeks ago, The Metro stated that Manchester United had agreed on a deal with Real Madrid to sign Kovacic. United met Real's valuation of Kovacic and a transfer fee in the region of €60 million was agreed to by both the clubs.

Surprisingly, Kovacic rejected the opportunity to move to Old Trafford. The simple reason being- Mourinho's defensive mindset didn't resonate with him.

The heart of the matter

Real Madrid value Kovacic at €60 million. Kovacic has made himself absent from the club's training session to ensure that the message goes through to the Real Madrid hierarchy- he wants a move away from the club and is desperate to do so.

Maurizio Sarri's style of play resonates with him and reports suggest that this 'AWOL' episode is an attempt by him to push a move through to Chelsea.

Waiting in the corner, however, is Manchester City. In his last interview, Pep Guardiola made it absolutely clear that City is going to be trying to sign another midfielder before the window ends. The midfielder that the Manchester City manager hopes he can sign is Kovacic. Manchester City has been linked with Kovacic since early July.

Real Madrid is surrounded by 'AWOL' players. On one hand, Courtois has gone 'AWOL' to push a move through to Real Madrid. On the other hand, Kovacic has gone 'AWOL' to push through a move away from Real Madrid. An 'AWOL' merry-go-round indeed!

Rumour Rating/Probability- 7/10

Don't be surprised if the 'AWOL' strategy works here. Kovacic is most likely going to leave the club. What remains to be seen is where he lands up. Chelsea? Manchester City? Or, elsewhere?

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What's next?

It's going to be extremely interesting to see how Real Madrid handle this situation. It's not often that you see players from Real going to 'AWOL'. Another thing to keep in sight is the bidding war that could be triggered by this move from Kovacic. Manchester City & Chelsea are both desperate to get a new signing.

From the looks of things, both clubs can afford Madrid's asking price for Kovacic. Will it come down to his decision? Can Chelsea snub another signing from right under Pep's nose?