Mateo Kovacic headed from Madrid to Chelsea as part of the Thibaut Courtois transfer saga in a season long loan. He has been shown to be a midfielder of high quality and a future world class prospect at Madrid, so there is a lot of optimism surrounding his move to Chelsea now. We take a look at his tactical quality and what he has to offer in Sarri’s system and how he might be honed to develop under the Italian manager.
Credits- skysports.com
Tactical Breakdown:
- Kovacic is well known for his fantastic ball carrying capabilities. This helps his team out of tight situations down the middle when the opposition press high up the pitch, helping overcome a line of press by dribbling past his opponents in dynamic situations.
- Under Sarri, Kovacic is mostly expected to play as the LCM in the 4-3-3 While his on the ball capabilities are excellent,his otb movement needs some work. We can expect him to hold his position higher up the pitch to attack on the turn after receiving the ball from the back
- Kovacic can replicate the dynamic movement and dribbling needed to thrive in Sarri’s system. His ability to draw defenders with give and go’s, combined with his dribbling ability can be used to a high level in the final third, an inject of creative dynamic actions is on offer.
Conclusion:
Kovacic signing for Chelsea on a loan probably works well at the moment for both parties. It has been reported that Chelsea do not have an option to sign the Croatian midfielder on a permanent basis after this season, which looks like they have been on the weaker end of this deal having let go of Courtois for a cheap sum as well, relatively at the least. But right now, Kovacic adds much needed quality and depth to this Chelsea side and looks to have the tools to succeed under Sarri and his attractive playing style. It is shaping up to be a defining season for Kovacic as he looks forward to first team action on a consistent basis for the first time in his playing career. The signs look promising to say the least.
Featured Image credits- skysports.com
