David James has said that the addition of Mateo Kovacic could be one that could benefit Manchester City in a way that they have never quite experienced.
Speaking on City’s official YouTube channel, the well-known pundit gave his views on what the £25 million (Sky Sports) could add to the club.
According to David James, Mateo Kovacic could add a lot to this Manchester City side to the extent that Pep Guardiola switches some of his tactics up.
David James says Mateo Kovacic transfer may have forced Pep Guardiola to make tactical changes
Branded as an ‘exceptional player’ by the Catalan boss himself, the Croatian international is quite a unique profile of midfielder.
Similar to Bernardo Silva, the 29-year-old is at his best in a deeper role in midfield, as his ball-carrying, passing and technical ability are extraordinary.
Now, David James has said that the distinctive qualities that Mateo Kovacic brings to Manchester City could mean Pep Guardiola already has a blueprint in place on how to do things differently next season.
“I think [a player like] Kovacic coming into the City is something that City haven’t had before because the way Kovacic plays is unlike anyone else, in my opinion. He can pick balls up, break lines with the ball.”
“Yes, Kevin De Bruyne does but he doesn’t do it from any kind of defensive position, you know what I mean? So, I think there’s already a plan for Pep [Guardiola] to play the game differently.”
The addition of Mateo Kovacic could force a change in shape
David James has a point and perhaps Pep Guardiola could experiment with simply playing a single attacking midfielder instead of playing a pair like last season due to the addition of Mateo Kovacic.
For instance, in games where Kevin De Bruyne or Phil Foden are either rested or if the Spaniard picks the latter to play on the wing, the former Chelsea technician could operate as a more withdrawn No.8 as opposed to Ilkay Gundogan.
Even against certain elite opposition, if Guardiola decides to have a more conservative approach, the three-time Champions League winner would be ideal to help sit deep and control the game, rather than fielding a duo of advanced midfielders.
