Almost without any snags, Mateo Kovacic has settled into life at Manchester City rather fast.
The first of four significant additions this summer, the Croatian international cost £25 million from Chelsea. Ilkay Gundogan, who led City to the triple crown in June, left a sizable pair of shoes to fill.
Considering Gundogan’s position on the team’s hierarchy, Kovacic was never seen as a direct replacement for the German, but the 29-year-old has fit in so well that it’s getting harder to picture the group without him. He has been with his new team for 479 minutes of competitive activity, although he appears to have been there for 479 games.
Even for a midfielder with extensive Champions League and international experience, integrating into a new squad is not always easy. When that new team is City, it is even more difficult to adjust. Kovacic, however, has been eager to take things up right away and seems to have done so.
During preseason, Kovacic said, “I’ve only been here two weeks, but it’s evident that (Guardiola) has definite ideas about what he wants. The level is different.
“I came here to learn, and he is the world’s top coach, in my opinion. It feels fantastic, especially for a midfielder, to learn from him.
“He can teach me the best times to move. This is also why I came here. To learn to be a better version of myself.”
Kovacic was undoubtedly City’s finest player against Fulham on Saturday, a game in which Erling Haaland grabbed a second hat-trick. The Norwegian was at his clinical peak but burst into flames in a matter of seconds, while his new comrade continued to work and it is amazing to watch how quickly he has taken things up.
One of the most tactically sophisticated coaches in history, Pep Guardiola requires some getting accustomed to. The City manager expects excellence right away in a system that most new recruits have never played before, and if they don’t measure up, he will drop them without hesitation.
Some of City’s key players throughout the Guardiola era struggled to adjust to life in Manchester. Most recently, Jack Grealish, who joined the Blues in a £100 million transfer from Aston Villa, was scrutinized throughout his first season with the club.
He found it difficult to adhere to Guardiola’s prescribed wide play strategy and insistence to maintain possession after being given free rein at Villa Park. The 27-year-old matured last season but was upfront about his challenges.
Riyad Mahrez, a fellow winger, moved from being a star at Leicester who practically had free reign to becoming a part of the City system. The most crucial player for Guardiola, Rodri, found himself competing for playing time with the seasoned and seemingly indispensible Fernandinho.
In order to prove his talent last season, Nathan Ake had to spend two seasons on the outside after struggling to transition from Bournemouth to City. Both John Stones and Joao Cancelo had challenging starts to their careers under Guardiola.
All six players, with the exception of Mahrez and Cancelo, were able to meet Guardiola’s expectations. Although they needed different amounts of time to adjust, the manager was understanding of how challenging it was to learn the method.
With Kovacic, who played his sixth game on Saturday like it was his 600th, there hasn’t been a time like that. The transaction of the summer appears to be worth £25 million.