It is fair to say that Mateo Kovacic's loan move from Real Madrid to Chelsea has not quite gone to plan.

The 25-year-old has really failed to kick on following his impressive debut against Wednesday's Europa League final opponents Arsenal, and has since lost his spot in the team to Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

But with Loftus-Cheek out of the London derby in Baku and set to miss the start of next season, Kovacic now has a massive chance.

Marca (via Sport Witness) reports that Chelsea are set to make his loan move a permanent one, and a good display in the Europa League final could go a long way once the next campaign arrives.

Even with Loftus-Cheek unavailable for selection, competition for a midfield spot is set to be fierce with N'Golo Kante, Jorginho, Ross Barkley and possibly Mason Mount all still in the equation.

Given their transfer embargo, you would expect Chelsea to sign Kovacic regardless of what happens on Wednesday night, with the Croatian and Gonzalo Higuain being the only two players the club can buy in the summer (Goal).

But if Kovacic really wants to prove his worth and show that the Blues are not just going to purchase him for the sake of it, then he needs to raise his game at the Baku Olympic Stadium.

Another not up to scratch performance, and Chelsea supporters will start to ask some serious questions about his permanent transfer.

Chelsea fans, can Kovacic make an impact against Arsenal? Join the discussion by commenting below.