Former Premier League player and pundit Alan Hutton has questioned whether Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic would want to sign a new contract at the west London club.
Last month, it was reported that the Blues are looking to open in-house talks with the midfielder over a potential new deal, with his current one set to expire in the summer of 2024.
This has led to one pundit sharing his views on the situation and whether or not the current state of affairs at Chelsea would make the Croatian want to pledge his future to the club.
Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton had this to say when asked if Kovacic fits into Potter’s team moving forward.
He said: “Obviously only Graham Potter will know but they have got so many options within the midfield. This is the problems we are talking about, how do you pick a starting XI and keep everybody happy?
“Of course he is a fantastic footballer but if these guys are not going to get the minutes, they will not want to play. Why would you want to sign a new contract?
“Even the likes of N’Golo Kante just coming back, they are talking about giving him a new contract. They spent £107m on a midfielder to come in and play that role.
“Something has to give. Whether they offer new contracts or not, some massive decisions have to be made by Potter and the backroom staff.”
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With reports claiming Chelsea are looking to extend Kovacic’s stay at Stamford Bridge, the 28-year-old has also been linked with a move away from the club, with fellow Premier League side Manchester City apparently interested in him.
In terms of Hutton’s point about the current options Potter has in his squad, there are currently nine midfielders in the squad, including Enzo Fernandez, who the pundit mentioned as being one of Chelsea’s recent big purchases.
Taking all of that into account and the fact that he’s started 16 of the 23 matches he’s appeared in this season across all competitions, we feel that the club may well have to convince Kovacic that he is will be an important player for them moving forward if they want to see him sign a new deal.