The player has revealed his desire to go play football elsewhere but the club has been adamant that the player is not for sale.
Kovacic was part of the Croatian national team that reached the final of the world cup. The player had traveled to Madrid, immediately after the world cup finals, to discuss with new coach Lopetegui about his plans for the player. The player wasn't convinced with what the coach said and had been hinting on a move away from the Bernabèu.
Real Madrid simply won't let him go. One reason for that is that there aren't many players left in the transfer market with his kind of talent.
Also, the club has spent the last three seasons trying to ease the player into the how to of playing for Madrid.
The player is young, 24 years old, and still has many years of usefulness left in his legs. He's been tipped to be the ideal replacement for Luka Modric who is soon to be 33.
Other clubs who have been poaching interest have been shooed off, getting the stern warning that the player is not in the market and therefore not for sale.
Kovacic has cut short his holiday so that he can once again meet with Julen Lopetegui to convince the boss to allow him leave.