da aposte e ganhe： The Blues have a big call to make over the midfielder's future as he heads towards the final 12 months of his contract at Stamford Bridge

da spicy bet： Mateo Kovacic's time at Chelsea appears to be coming to something of a sorry end, with the club at its lowest ebb since he signed from Real Madrid five years ago. The midfielder is likely to move on this summer as he prepares to enter the final 12 months of his contract, and while he is hugely popular among the Blues' fanbase, his legacy at Stamford Bridge is blurred.

Though the Croatian has intimated that he is happy in London and has no plans to move, the decision may well be taken out of his hands as incoming head coach Mauricio Pochettino and co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali oversee a clearout – with those entering the last year of their deal in the firing line.

Kovacic will have no shortage of suitors and has already been linked with a host of leading European clubs, but should Chelsea be trying to keep hold of one of their longest-serving lieutenants? GOAL explains why the time is right for both parties to go their separate ways…

Getty ImagesEmbodiment of Chelsea's transition

Similar to his former midfield colleague Jorginho, Kovacic has never truly hit the heights expected of him when he was signed from Real Madrid on an initial loan in 2018. Indeed, he has arguably been the embodiment of Chelsea's ongoing, drawn-out period of transition: consistently inconsistent, goal-shy and frustrating – but still capable of producing some wonderfully memorable moments.

Kovacic is scintillating when at his best; robust in the challenge and renowned for his driving dribbles from his own half, he has always had the potential to be such a useful weapon at both ends of the pitch. However, that has never truly been fulfilled, and in more recent times he seems to fade in the face of the midfield battle.

Those driving runs rarely yield assists or goals, his passing statistics (two assists, 86 percent completion in the Premier League this season) are not those of an elite, ball-playing midfielder, and while Chelsea do not have enough players who take risks with their progressive passing, his propensity to be wasteful in possession is particularly irksome.

His all-action performances during the Covid-disrupted 2019-20 campaign did earn him the club's Player of the Year award, as voted by the fans, but that was in a season in which the Blues scraped into the top four in Frank Lampard's first spell in charge.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWorkmanlike but not world-class

Legendary World Cup-winning Italy manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, once described Kovacic as "a mixture of Kaka and Clarence Seedorf", such was the potential he displayed as a young attacking midfielder at Inter following his move from the Dinamo Zagreb production line.

However, having never developed into the creator-in-chief many expected him to be, he has always been a functioning cog in the Chelsea machinery – with his boundless energy and tenacity seeing him charged with disrupting the play in his own half and propelling Chelsea up the pitch, without ever being relied upon for goal contributions. Indeed, some would argue that he is a more defensive-minded midfielder overall at this stage in his career.

Although he did enjoy a more fruitful creative period during Thomas Tuchel's tenure, the 29-year-old's return of six goals and 15 assists in 220 appearances for the Blues tells its own story.

Moments of pure brilliance

That's not to say that Kovacic won't be remembered very fondly, though. He's been a big-game player for the Blues throughout his time at the club, recorded one of the best performances of his debut season in the 2019 Europa League final victory over Arsenal, and he was influential across both legs as Chelsea dumped Atletico Madrid out of the Champions League en route to a remarkable triumph in 2021. He was unfortunate not to be given more than 10 minutes of the final against Man City, but it's hard to argue with Tuchel's immaculate tactics on the night.

And his goals may have been few and far between, but boy were they memorable. His first two goals for the club were expertly-taken low drives against Valencia and Everton in 2019-20, while his two strikes in 2022-23 were instinctive first-time finishes that very few players would be able to pull off.

However, the pick of the bunch was undoubtedly his Goal of the Season-winning volley in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool last season. Keeping his eye on the ball as it dropped from the night sky, Kovacic produced a sublime, arcing volley with no back-lift that flew into the back of the net via a kiss of the post. Poetry in motion, and Kovacic's best moment in a Chelsea shirt.

GettyA fan favourite

One thing that isn't in doubt is Kovacic's popularity. A consummate professional whose work ethic and tenacity have always endeared him to supporters, he remains hugely popular among the Chelsea fanbase despite whatever frustrations they may harbour towards him – and it's clear that sentiment is reciprocated.

"I had the luck to be in great countries, great cities, new cultures, meeting amazing people," Kovacic said recently. "I am blessed I could experience so many nice countries. I learned many lessons, but most of all just to respect all people. How they treated me I can just be thankful, and I tried to treat them the same way they treated me. Just be polite as much as I can, which is not always easy, but be myself.

"When I see where I have been it’s really amazing. I’m just thankful for the people I have met. It’s been a nice journey."