Chelsea bolster midfield by signing Kovacic on loan from Real Madrid

Maurizio Sarri may have just found the missing piece of his midfield.

Chelsea announced on Wednesday the signing of Croatian international Mateo Kovacic, bringing the World Cup finalist to Stamford Bridge on a season-long loan from Real Madrid.

As part of the move, shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois heads to the Spanish capital on a permanent deal.

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Kovacic, 24, had been angling for a move away from the Santiago Bernabeu, making no secret of his desire to find more playing time elsewhere.

"I have really enjoyed these three years in Madrid, alongside some incredible teammates and winning trophies," Kovacic told Marca earlier this summer, "but I haven't been completely happy because my contribution to all of this hasn't been complete and this is something I want to change."

The Croat started just 10 league matches for Los Blancos last season.

He should slot nicely into Chelsea's midfield trio, offering a crafty box-to-box presence that will complement the calm passing of Jorginho and dynamic defensive work of N'Golo Kante.

Amid a hectic summer for the Blues, completing the midfield puzzle was one of the most pressing matters for the club.

The likes of Cesc Fabregas and Ross Barkley don't offer the necessary skill set to complete the triumvirate in Sarri's preferred 4-3-3 formation, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek's future remains in doubt as rumors of another loan move swirl.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, are now unlikely to part with superstar Luka Modric in the wake of Kovacic's departure. Their No. 10 has been linked with a spectacular move to Inter Milan in recent weeks.