Gvardiol's qualities are amazing, says Kovacic | OneFootball

Mateo Kovacic says City and Croatia team-mate Josko Gvardiol can play at the top for a long time if he continues the way he is going.

The international colleagues both arrived at the Etihad Stadium in the summer of 2023 and have become very close on and away from the pitch.

Joining a Club that had just won the Treble could have been overwhelming but both players coped with the pressure and helped us land a record-breaking fourth Premier League title in their debut campaigns.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Official Man City Podcast which will be available to watch on CITY+ this evening at 18:00 (UK), Kovacic says the defender coped well with the switch and has the potential to have a big future for both club and country.

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“Josko is special,” he says. “I don’t want to praise him too much but his qualities are amazing.

“We [in Croatia] always had midfielders and great centre-backs as well, but he is the kind of player who can do everything.

“Sometimes you don’t know where to put him because he is so good going forward, but also great defending.

“He is right foot, left foot, everything, and him being Croatian is nice for us because he is a player that can dominate for years.

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“If he stays focused and has the mindset that he has now, he will be at the top for a long time.

“Luka [Modric] is now the captain and there are a few older players that can fill this role, but in a few years, he will be that guy for sure.

“It’s not easy to come to a Treble-winning team. For him, being 21 when he came, it’s not easy to integrate yourself, because they are all high on confidence and you come and want to show yourself.

“He has been absolutely amazing, and when he had difficult moments, he dealt with it very well for his age.”

Kovacic also praises another young City star, saying he quickly established an intuitive relationship with Phil Foden on the pitch.

“He is top,” he adds. “He is the player I most enjoy playing with. We have that connection and in the pockets I haven’t seen a better player in my career.

“I have played with a lot of players and this is the most difficult position, to move in the pocket and have the ability to receive the ball wherever it comes and turn it over the right way is not easy.

“I have played in that position and I hate it because you have to wait for the right moment to move in the right way and he's doing it unbelievably.

He’s a special talent and is proving it.”