Why signing Mateo Kovacic makes sense for Manchester City – Bitter and Blue

Manchester City did not hesitate to bring in a replacement for Ilkay Gundogan after the German midfielder decided to move to Barcelona. After being part of one of the most successful spells in the club’s history, the 32-year-old is leaving the club as a legend. He made sure of that by being the first captain to win the Champions League trophy.

It’s an honor that legendary captains like Tony Book, Paul Power, Roy Paul, Richard Dunne (who won the club’s Player of the Year award a record four times), Vincent Kompany, Andy Morrison and even Fernandinho would have loved to have , but it was Gundogan who enjoyed the privilege.

But he has not put a stop to his career at City, the club has taken swift action to fill the void left by his departure. Mateo Kovacic in. With only a year left in his Chelsea contract, it was easy to negotiate a transfer that saw the player move from London to Manchester.

While the Croatia international cannot be compared to Gundogan in terms of goals and assists, his vast experience playing at the highest level, especially in the Premier League, could be very valuable in the team.

He also played in very successful teams, won the Champions League 5* and several other trophies in different countries. Bringing such experience into the dressing room will be very important in a team that, in Gündogan’s words, is “built to win”.

The only drawback is his age, as he is already 29. But he will probably have to keep the team performing at top level for another two to three years before it could be necessary to help him further. If that turns out to be the case, £25 million is money well spent.

Having played in some of Europe’s top teams in recent years, including the Croatian national team, he also fits well into City’s set-up. He is good on the ball, controls his part of the field and switches every time he is called up. These are qualities that every player must possess to succeed under Pep Guardiola.

Kovacic may not be a like-for-like replacement for Gundogan, but he could come close to filling the gap left by the German midfielder.

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