Chelsea brought in Mateo Kovacic on loan from Real Madrid during the last summer transfer window.
And the 24-year-old is yet to make a serious impact at Stamford Bridge.
Mateo Kovacic left the Bernabeu because he wanted a manager who would show more faith in him and give him more playing time and that is exactly what Maurizio Sarri has done.
But its almost the end of the season and yet the midfielder has not been able to secure a constant place in the first XI under the Italian boss.
Mateo Kovacic is due to head back to Madrid during the summer but now that Zinedine Zidane is back at the helm, things might turn out to be very different for the midfielder.
Reports suggest that Zidane has no use of Mateo Kovacic as he looks to rebuild his squad and the Real Madrid manager is happy to let Chelsea have him.
The loan deal is said to have a buy clause included in it and if the Blues trigger it then Zidane will be more than happy to sell off Mateo Kovacic.
But right now Chelsea have been struck with a transfer ban which as things stand will not be lifted.
So even if Chelsea want, they will still not be able to buy Mateo Kovacic.
Reports suggest that in such a scenario, Madrid will be able to loan the midfielder to Chelsea for one more season now with an obligation to buy him.
It still remains to be seen whether the Blues actually want him given that Sarri has Ross Barkley who has doubled up in midfield with Kovacic.
But whatever happens, rumours have it that Mateo Kovacic is not heading back to the Bernabeu at the end of the current season.
