“Now I am here, I can see why” – Mateo Kovacic identifies reasons for Manchester City’s success after joining from Chelsea
Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic recently opened up on his move from Chelsea and also spoke about the reasons behind City's success over the years.
The Croatian made the switch from the Blues for around £30 million earlier this summer. He also claimed that he understood the reasons for the Cityzens' prolonged success after joining them.
Speaking in a press conference, he said:
"I knew the team had a lot of quality and playing against them was never easy – it was always tough. They keep the ball and put pressure on you. Now I am here, I can see why. The intensity is so high and everyone is so professional. You can see why they have been successful in recent years."
Pep Guardiola's side have been one of the most dominant teams in recent history. They have won five of the last six Premier League titles and recently completed a historic treble after winning the Champions League.
Manchester City signed Kovacic as a likely replacement for Ilkay Gundogan, who left the club to join Barcelona after his contract expired.
Kovacic was a key player for Chelsea after joining from Real Madrid in 2018 on loan before making the move permanent a year later. He made 221 appearances for the Blues, scoring six goals and bagging 15 assists. He beat his current side in the 2021 UEFA Champions League final to lift the trophy.
City, meanwhile, will finish their pre-season tour of Asia with a game against Atletico Madrid in South Korea on July 29. They will then fly home to face Arsenal in the FA Community Shield.
Chelsea and Manchester City receive a blow in pursuit of PL star
Crystal Palace will refuse to sell attacker Michael Olise amidst interest in the player from Chelsea and Manchester City. According to Football Insider, the Eagles are looking to keep hold of the player despite potential offers from other clubs.
The 21-year-old attacker is believed to have a £35 million release clause in his contract. However, Palace are open to negotiating a new deal for their star winger that would see the release clause removed.
It is interesting to note that Olise was part of both Chelsea's and Manchester City's youth setups. He eventually joined Reading in 2016, impressing as a youngster before joining Palace in July 2021. He has made 71 appearances for the London side, bagging six goals and 19 assists.
Olise is expected to miss the early part of the 2023-24 campaign after suffering a torn hamstring on international duty for France in the Under-21s European Championships.
The Blues are keen on improving their attacking options, having sold attackers Christian Pulisic and Kai Havertz. City, on the other hand, could be looking to replace Riyad Mahrez who joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli.