Manchester City have completed the signing of midfielder Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea.
The Croatian international joins on an initial fee of £25m, with the deal potentially worth an additional £5m in performance-related add-ons.
Kovacic spent five years at Stamford Bridge, winning four major trophies, including the 2021 Champions League final against Manchester City.
He will wear the No 8 shirt following the departure of Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona.
Kovacic, who has made 221 appearances for Chelsea, said the move was “a dream for any footballer” and that working under Pep Guardiola would help him become a better player.
City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, praised Kovacic’s tactical and technical qualities, adding he was “delighted he is here” and excited to watch him play under Guardiola.
The signing of Kovacic adds depth to City’s midfield as they look to defend their Premier League title and compete in the Champions League.
Meanwhile, New Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has said he is “not happy” with the decision to let Kovacic leave, adding that the midfielder was a “big part” of the squad.
However, Kovacic’s departure means Pochettino could potentially promote younger players such as Billy Gilmour and Conor Gallagher to the first team.
Kovacic started his career at Dinamo Zagreb before moving to Inter Milan and later Real Madrid. He won three Champions League titles with Real before joining Chelsea on loan in 2018.
The loan was made permanent the following year, and Kovacic became a regular in Chelsea’s midfield under both Frank Lampard and Tuchel.
City will begin their Premier League campaign against Tottenham Hotspur on August 15, while Chelsea will face Crystal Palace a day earlier.