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Football London
Football London
Sport
Phil Spencer

'We've spent more than Arsenal!' - Chelsea fans delighted at shock Mateo Kovacic deal

Chelsea may be facing a summer transfer embargo but that hasn't stopped them making a move for their first deal since Maurizio Sarri's exit.

Gianluca Di Marzio reports that the Blues have struck a deal for the permanent signing of Mateo Kovacic.

The Real Madrid man spent last season on loan at Stamford Bridge and played a central role in Chelsea's road to a third place finish in the Premier League.

(Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

As part of that loan deal, Real Madrid inserted a clause to make the move permanent for a fee of £45million - an option which Chelsea have reluctantly agreed to.

This means that as long as Chelsea finalise the move before June 30 - the date that his Chelsea registration expires -  they'll be able to complete the signing of Kovacic without breaching the terms of their transfer ban.

With the Blues not expecting to sign anyone this summer the news has been well received by the Chelsea fans.

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