<
        >

          Real Madrid sign Mateo Kovacic from Inter Milan

          • Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondentAug 18, 2015, 09:41 AM ET

          Real Madrid have confirmed the signing of Mateo Kovacic from Inter Milan on a six-year contract.

          Madrid did not confirm the value of the deal but Kovacic, 21, is reported to have cost around €30 million.

          A statement on the Spanish club's official website read: "Real Madrid C. F. and Inter Milan have agreed to the transfer of Mateo Kovacic, he will remain at the club for the next six seasons.

          "The player will be presented tomorrow, Wednesday 19 August at 1 p.m., in the presidential box at the Santiago Bernabeu, after undergoing a medical.

          "Afterwards, Mateo Kovacic will step out onto the pitch at the Santiago Bernabeu for the first time wearing the Real Madrid shirt and talk to the media in the press room."

          Inter boss Roberto Mancini had previously confirmed that his side had accepted Real's offer for Kovacic as they needed to balance the books.

          "Unfortunately there are financial fair play rules to respect and I don't think any of us wanted this, but to respect UEFA's parameters we had to do something," Inter Mancini told Mediaset television.

          "That does not mean we won't build a side capable of being competitive. We're all sad, from the president down to the players, but given these rules, you have to make sacrifices. I'm sorry if some people can't understand that."

          The reported fee would mean a healthy profit for Inter on the €11m paid for the then 18-year-old when he arrived from Dinamo Zagreb in January 2013.

          Madrid coach Rafa Benitez was thought to be keen to bring in another player to as back up to Luka Modric and Toni Kroos in the two deep midfield positions in his preferred 4-2-3-1 shape.

          Kovacic has often played as a No. 10 for both Inter and Croatia, but Madrid president Florentino Perez has shown a tendency to sign more attacking players and then to ask his coaches to work out a suitable system.

          Former Inter and Spain star Luis Suarez had earlier warned that it would be a mistake for the Italian side to let Kovacic go, likening the situation to that when Andrea Pirlo was famously allowed to leave the Nerazzurri as an unproven youngster over a decade ago.

          Kovacic's arrival could see some players depart the Bernabeu before the transfer window ends, with €14m January signing Lucas Silva expected to go out on loan as Danilo, Casemiro and James Rodriguez are due to take up the three permitted non-EU player berths.

          Fellow midfielder Asier Illarramendi, who has struggled to make an impression at the Bernabeu after signing for €38m from Real Sociedad two years ago, has also been linked with a permanent move away.