Ruben Dias has shared the first thing new Manchester City signing Mateo Kovacic said to him about the rest of the squad.
Pep Guardiola’s side won the treble last season, arguably the greatest achievement in the club’s history.
However, City have wasted no time in refreshing their squad, with Croatian midfielder Kovacic arriving right at the start of the summer transfer window.
The 29-year-old arrived from Chelsea for £25m, and on Sunday made his City debut in a 5-3 friendly win against Yokohama F. Marinos in Tokyo.
Kovacic impressed by City morale
It’s no secret that Guardiola’s squad is bursting with talent, but what tends to be overlooked is the mentality, morale and togetherness of the team.
According to City defender Dias, that’s something Kovacic mentioned as soon as he met his new teammates.
“Mateo [Kovacic] has just come in to City; we had our first conversation and he was like: ‘Wow, this is amazing how well you all get along’,” Dias told the club’s official website.
“He [Kovacic] has a lot to know but his first impressions show what he thinks. People can make jokes but accept to be made a joke of too.
“That friendly environment between us definitely helps us. But when the time comes, definitely we are together.
“Overall we have a very good environment between all of us.”
MCN view: Squad harmony a key to City success
As Kovacic knows well, having a harmonious dressing room is key to success at any football club.
Chelsea didn’t have that last season, but it’s something Guardiola and the City hierarchy have mastered at the Etihad Stadium.
When things looked to be turning sour in the dressing room back in January, Guardiola acted quickly to fix the situation.
His solution was to remove Joao Cancelo from the group, and it worked.
As long as City’s morale stays high, then Guardiola’s side will no-doubt continue to fight for every title available.
