Frank Leboeuf reckons Manchester City have just signed a player who is a bit like Pep Guardiola was during his playing days.
City swooped for the Croatia international after he only had one year left on his deal at Chelsea.
The club have signed him in a deal worth up to £30 million.
He arrives just a day after it was announced that Ilkay Gundogan is leaving the club to join Barcelona.
In general, City fans are pleased about the Kovacic deal.
He was one of Chelsea’s best players and is a real technician, just like Guardiola really likes.
And in the eyes of Leboeuf, the 29-year-old is actually not so dissimilar to Guardiola himself when he played.
Mateo Kovacic is like Pep Guardiola the player – Frank Leboeuf
Last night, the ESPN crew reacted to the latest bid Arsenal have made for Declan Rice.
The Gunners have lodged a bid worth £105 million in total.
Eventually, the conversation moved on to a player City have now officially already brought in in Kovacic.
And Leboeuf feels the club have done terrific business.
He said: “Kovacic is a fantastic player. I have no doubt Pep Guardiola is the kind of coach who will really appreciate a player like Kovacic because he’s a little bit like Pep Guardiola when he was playing for Barcelona.
“Very smart, clever, anticipating everything, playing simply, exactly like Manchester City players in the middle of the park can play. I’m not surprised by the choice of Pep Guardiola. And I’m not surprised Kovacic wants to go there.”
Mateo Kovacic is a top signing by Manchester City
To get Kovacic for £30 million is tremendous business by City.
He was easily one of Chelsea’s best players and has shown over the years he’s been in England that he is a very good technical player.
He does not offer the goal threat that Gundogan does.
But Leboeuf is right when he says that Kovacic is a smart player, and someone who does things fairly simply.
He has a lot of strings to his bow though, and it will be fascinating to see how Pep uses him.
