Former Premier League ace Danny Murphy is baffled by claims that Mateo Kovacic could swap Chelsea for Manchester City this summer, telling talkSPORT (1 March, 11am) that Graham Potter needs to keep the Croatia international.
If not the most underrated midfielder in European football, then he’s certainly in the conversation.
Kovacic might not challenge Kevin de Bruyne at the top of the assist charts, of hit double figures like a young Frank Lampard. But his strengths far outweigh the weaknesses. Kovacic is the man who, for so many seasons, has made Chelsea tick; the driving force behind so many trophy wins, the lung-busting link between defence and attack.
Kovacic has missed eight games Premier League games this season. Chelsea failed to win six of them. So reports suggesting that the former Inter Milan and Real Madrid ace could leave a Blues side hitting rock bottom under Graham Potter – for a top-flight rival no less – has Murphy wondering, like the rest of us, just who on earth is making the decisions at Stamford Bridge (Daily Telegraph).
Will Chelsea really sell Mateo Kovacic to Manchester City?
“I love Kovacic,” says the former England international. “He has played a lot of games and been brilliant for Chelsea. The fans love him.
“Is he good enough to get into their best XI? Yes, he is. So why would you want to get rid of Kovacic?”
The 28-year-old’s contract expires in the summer of 2024. As such, Chelsea must sell sooner rather than later or risk losing one of their longest-serving players for free. Murphy, however, believes that while cashing on would make sense from a business perspective, you cannot say the same from a sporting perspective.
“If you are asking me from a footballing perspective, rather than a business perspective, would I want to keep him? Damn right,” Murphy adds.
“Forget his experience. (Look at) his quality. He keeps the ball, demands if off the back players, gets you from the defensive third to the attacking third. He’s a terrific footballer. He has played on the biggest stage. He’s brave, and a nightmare to play against.”
Chelsea paid around £40 million to sign Kovacic from Real Madrid in the summer of 2019 (Sky Sports).
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