Real Madrid will not sell midfielder Mateo Kovacic to Atletico Madrid this summer – according to a report in Diario AS this weekend.
The Spanish newspaper – who quote a interview with a club source via Carrusel Deportivo – state that Los Blancos are in no mood to do bust with their city rivals.
The club official is reported to have commented that the Croatian international is not for sale and 'even less so to Atletico#39;.
Kovacic, 24, is in professional limbo at the moment, with Chelsea unable to make his loan deal permanent due to their transfer ban.
The Premier League side were keen to retain him, if a cut-price deal could be struck with Real Madrid, however that option has now hit a dead end.
There has been interest in the former Inter Milan from other European sides, including Zenit St.Petersburg and Roma, who could both do with increasing their midfield options next season.
Despite the reported negativity towards a move across the Spanish capital, Zinedine Zidane is expected to make changes to Real Madrid this summer, with Kovacic likely to be heading for the exit.
