Real Madrid's Mateo Kovacic trying to force through move to Chelsea or City before Premier League deadline

The Croatian midfielder wants to play more football after a frustrating time in La Liga

Mateo Kovacic is looking to push through a move to Chelsea or Manchester City before Thursday's transfer deadline.

The Croatian midfielder is desperate to leave Madrid and reports in the Spanish capital on Monday claimed that he had decided he wouldn't return to training with the club as he awaited a transfer. A short-term loan move away is also being considered.

Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui swerved the reports but said that Kovacic and his wantaway compatriot Luka Modric were both going to stay, telling reporters: "I think that Modric and Kovacic are going to be very happy to play for Real Madrid."

Manchester City and Chelsea have both been approached by intermediaries looking to facilitate the young midfielder's move to the Premier League. The 24 year-old told Marca earlier this summer that he wanted to leave the Bernabeu in search of regular first-team football.

"I would like to play more at Real Madrid because I love football and I love being on the pitch," he said. "I know that it's difficult to be a starter at Real Madrid, especially when I arrived at a really young age.

"I understand the situation, but because of that I believe the best thing for me would be to go to another club where I'd have the opportunity to play regularly as a starter.

"I think I can have this opportunity and it's one I want right now."

City is Kovacic's first-choice move with Pep Guardiola still in the market for a midfielder who can back-up for and compete with Fernandinho. Guardiola's heart had been set on Napoli's Jorginho, but he moved to Chelsea in a £52m deal instead.

Kovacic impressed at this summer's World Cup (AFP/Getty Images)

The Blues, for their part, are well-stocked in midfield but Maurizio Sarri is understood to be keen to sign another player in that position, having asked for Matias Vecino of Inter Milan.

Kovacic would come in at a far higher price than Vecino, but it remains a difficult deal to do as long as Real Madrid want to keep the Croat, who they saw as a long-term investment for the future when they spent £25m on him in 2015.