Manchester City defender Kyle Walker says the club have signed a “proven winner” in Mateo Kovacic.
The Premier League champions have made a 100% start to the season but, while Walker is adamant that the Citizens have made some great purchases this summer, he admits it’s difficult to improve on a treble-winning team:
“It’s the treble-winning side. So, can you get better? It’s hard. But do I think the recruitment and the players they have brought in are just as good? I very much think so. Mateo Kovacic is a proven winner. You don’t win four Champions Leagues and play for Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Chelsea if you can’t play.”
Kovacic has impressed since making the £25m move from Chelsea. He was arguably City’s best player against Fulham in the 5-1 win at the weekend, being authoritative on the ball and driving his team forward.
He certainly doesn’t offer the same sort of goal threat that Ilkay Gundogan used to, as he plays in deeper positions, but it does allow Rodri to play further forward.
Will City’s other signings make the same impact?
Kovacic has certainly impressed teammates and fans alike with his first few performances in a City shirt but it will be interesting to see whether Jeremy Doku and Matheus Nunes can also produce the goods.
The former got his first run out versus Fulham and it is fair to say that he was a little too eager to impress. The Belgian will be keen to make more of an impact after the international break.
Plenty of players have left but Walker won’t be one of them
Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte, Joao Cancelo and Cole Palmer may have all left the Etihad but it seems as though Walker will be sticking around.
After looking poised to join Bayern Munich earlier in the summer, reports indicate that he could now sign a new three-year contract.