Inter Milan’s Mateo Kovacic has insisted his desire is to remain at the San Siro this summer amid Liverpool transfer speculation:
“The club have never said they want to sell me,” as quoted by the Express.
“Never. I’ll stay here. I won’t move. That’s what I wanted, that’s what my renewal until 2019 shows, there will be a long relationship between myself and Inter.
“I want to show that I deserve Inter. I want to win with this shirt. Inter is like Real [Madrid] or Barcelona.”
After Raheem Sterling‘s £49m transfer to Manchester City was confirmed on Tuesday evening [via BBC Sport], attention now turns to who Brendan Rodgers may wish to replace the England international with.
Having displayed similar versatility to the 20-year-old last season – playing in central midfield, the No.10 role, left midfield and left wing – there had been speculation [via the Express] that Kovacic could fill the void left by the former Queens Park Rangers star.
Despite reports suggesting that the Reds could spend the money acquired from Sterling’s sale on his direct replacement, it has been claimed that Rodgers wishes to use the cash to fund a move for Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke.
On Tuesday, ESPN revealed that Liverpool were readying a new bid for the Belgium international – who has a £32.5m release-clause, the report states – and could be set to make an offer now that Sterling has officially departed Anfield.
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Over the past two seasons, the Merseyside heavyweights have lost three key players – Luis Suarez to Barcelona, Steven Gerrard to LA Galaxy and now Sterling to Manchester City.
The club struggled to adapt to life without Suarez – with Daniel Sturridge, Mario Balotelli, Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini scoring a dismal seven goals between them last season – and arguably failed to spend the £75m [via BBC Sport] received from his sale wisely.
All eyes are on Rodgers to act sensibly in this summer’s window.
Replacing Gerrard and Sterling will be no easy feat for the Northern Irish manager, but having signed Brazil’s Roberto Firmino and England’s Nathaniel Clyne for a combined £33.8m [via Sky Sports] and put an end to the sour Sterling saga, excitement could certainly be returning at Liverpool.