Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic has admitted that he is willing to improve and step up his game for the next season in order to achieve success with the English side.
Kovacic agreed to a new deal with Chelsea which will keep him at the club for five years after one season on loan at Stamford Bridge.
The 25-year-old midfielder was not willing to return to the Santiago Bernabeu after he played 38 times for Chelsea as a regular under Maurizio Sarri at the club. However, the departure of the Italian manager left a cloud of uncertainty over the future of Kovacic and whether he would remain at West London or return to the Spanish capital.
Chelsea has been hit with a transfer ban by FIFA which means that they will not be able to sign any players for the next year but managed to tie down Kovacic on a permanent deal because he was already registered as a Blue.
The Croatian helped Sarri to win the Europa League title and secure a Champions League berth by finishing in third place on the Premier League table. Kovacic laid off two assists across the course of the season but failed to find the back of the net in 32 Premier League appearances for Chelsea.
In an interview with the club’s official site, Kovacic admitted his delight at playing for Chelsea t and willingness to improve to get better, “I really enjoyed my season on loan with Chelsea, I feel comfortable at the club and like London and the Premier League very much. I am very happy to be able to join permanently. We had a successful year, winning the Europa League and I hope I can make a big contribution in the coming seasons.”
