Aston Villa are said to be actively working on a sensational summer transfer deal to sign Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovačić, with the four-time UEFA Champions League winner emerging as a top target for manager Unai Emery. The Midlands club is currently preparing for an incredibly historic campaign, having successfully qualified for Europe’s elite club competition following an outstanding Premier League season.
Unai Emery’s men were particularly impressive last term, securing a coveted top-four finish in the domestic league while simultaneously lifting the UEFA Europa League title after a masterful tactical run through the knockout stages.
This remarkable achievement is only the latest milestone in Aston Villa’s ambitious long-term mission to permanently establish themselves as a top-four regular in English football. Backed by substantial American wealth from owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, and led on the pitch by a proven serial winner in Emery, the club has transformed from mid-table outsiders into a genuine powerhouse.
Next season’s hopes will not only be to secure another top-four finish in the Premier League, but to also advance deep into the latter stages of the Champions League. To achieve such a monumental feat, the hierarchy recognizes that significant summer spending is going to be required to build adequate squad depth.
As the transfer window heats up, the option to bring Kovačić to Villa Park is firmly on the table. The Croatian international represents the exact profile of elite European experience that Unai Emery is looking to inject into his squad. Kovačić is a certified serial winner, having famously lifted three consecutive Champions League trophies during his tenure with Spanish giants Real Madrid before adding a fourth European crown to his resume during his subsequent spell with Chelsea. His trophy cabinet is one of the most decorated in modern football, containing domestic league titles, FIFA Club World Cups, and UEFA Super Cups across three different major European leagues.
In fact, the only major domestic trophy he has not won that remains available to top-flight English and Spanish clubs is Spain’s Copa del Rey, having comfortably won the English Premier League, the FA Cup, and the League Cup during his highly successful stints in England with both Chelsea and Manchester City. His arrival at Villa Park would immediately alter the mentality of the dressing room, providing the younger players with a blueprint of what it takes to perform at the very absolute pinnacle of world football week in and week out.
However, despite his glittering pedigree, Kovačić currently finds himself at a crossroads in his career at the Etihad Stadium. At 32 years of age, his overall importance within Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City squad has noticeably faded over the past twelve months. The veteran midfielder only managed to make six starts across all competitions last term, a statistic that highlights his sudden slide down the pecking order in Manchester. A significant chunk of that absence was undoubtedly due to an unfortunate string of nagging muscle injuries that disrupted his match fitness, but intense internal competition also played a sizable part in his limited game time.
The midfield dynamics at Manchester City are set to shift even further ahead of the upcoming campaign, meaning Kovačić is widely expected to be moved on this summer. The Premier League champions are entering a new tactical era following the arrival of Enzo Maresca as part of the coaching restructuring, alongside the highly anticipated arrival of young midfield star Elliot Anderson. With fresh blood entering the squad and Guardiola looking to younger options to future-proof his midfield, Kovačić has been granted permission to explore his transfer options in search of regular first-team football.
According to recent reports from SportsBoom, Aston Villa have firmly thrown their hat into the ring to secure his signature, but they are not the only Premier League club monitoring the situation closely. Nottingham Forest are also said to be heavily in the mix, meaning a competitive battle could emerge for the midfielder’s services. Both clubs are known to be actively scouring the market for an experienced, elite-level central midfielder and deeply value Kovačić’s extensive European experience, tactical intelligence, and proven leadership qualities both on and off the pitch.
Manchester City are not said to be actively pushing Kovačić out the door, as they still highly respect his professionalism and contributions to their recent title-winning campaigns. Even with just 12 months remaining on his current contract at the Etihad Stadium, there is a clear and mutual understanding between the player and the club’s board that the right financial offer will be welcomed this summer. City are willing to facilitate a smooth departure for a reasonable fee, choosing not to stand in the way of a player who desires more guaranteed minutes on the pitch during the twilight years of his career.
For Aston Villa, Kovačić’s tactical versatility will be absolutely crucial as they look to navigate the grueling schedule of playing mid-week Champions League football alongside their intense domestic commitments. While Kovačić is widely considered a dynamic, box-to-box central midfielder by nature—celebrated for his elite press-resistance and incredible ability to drive the ball forward through opposition lines—he has also regularly filled in and succeeded as a disciplined, deep-lying defensive midfielder when required.
He famously demonstrated this tactical adaptability in a high-stakes Premier League encounter against his former club Chelsea in 2024. Tasked with anchor duties in the absence of key players, Kovačić completely dictated the tempo of the game from deep and even managed to find the back of the net with a brilliant late strike, leading to immense praise from prominent Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy.
“Rodri is the best holding midfield player in the world,” Murphy enthusiastically stated during his tactical analysis on the flagship BBC show. “There’s no doubt about that whatsoever when you watch how he controls games. Against Chelsea, Manchester City decided to play Kovačić in there, which was a remarkably big ask because he does not usually play that specific defensive role. They were undeniably huge shoes to fill for anyone.”
“However, the post-match numbers prove what a wonderful job he did in that position. He probably exceeded the expectations of many City fans who worried about the lack of natural defensive cover. One of Rodri’s biggest strengths is dictating play, we all know his immense technical ability, which we saw Kovačić replicate perfectly in terms of his intelligent movement, getting on the ball constantly, creating an attacking tempo, and making things happen from the back.”
“Rodri’s biggest strength is undoubtedly his defensive attributes and Kovačić isn’t sometimes known for that gritty part of his game, but against Chelsea he worked really hard at it and tried to stay incredibly disciplined. On the rare occasion when he got a little bit caught out of position, he worked tirelessly to get back in. Not only did he win the ball back, he kept using it really well. I don’t just mean safe sideways passes, I’m talking about brave, progressive passes into the final third. He was spotting danger, filling in open gaps, anticipating plays, and intercepting passes. He made it look so easy and effortless at times. The icing on the cake was when he flies past Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández—two players who were famously bought for massive fees to replace him at Stamford Bridge—and scores.”
