What Mateo Kovacic Learned from a £47m Player That Changed His Career Forever

Mateo Kovacic claimed that he understood John Stones’ extended tenure at a premier team like Manchester City after meeting him.

Kovacic provided an intriguing behind-the-scenes look at Stones on the most recent episode of the official Manchester City podcast.

After Mateo Kovacic saw John Stones, he knew why he had been at Manchester City for so long. The Sky Blues appointed the £47.5 million (BBC Sport) player as one of Pep Guardiola’s first acquisitions.

Ever since, the treble champion has been an indispensable member of Manchester City’s squad, contributing significantly to their dominance in English football.

Mateo Kovacic claimed to have grasped after just one meeting with John Stones why the player had been able to stick at a team the size of City for so long.

On the official Manchester City podcast, he stated, “You can tell that John is a fantastic guy and that’s why he’s so long at that club because it’s never easy to be at a club for so long and when you meet them, you actually feel why that is so because he’s humble, works hard and as you [Rob Pollard] said, open-minded.”

John Stones’ endurance at the Etihad Stadium has been greatly influenced by his resiliency.
Mateo Kovacic raises an intriguing issue when he emphasises how amazing it is for guys like John Stones to have been able to stick at such a prestigious club for so long.

But in the instance of the England international, a major contributing factor is his resilience.

Prior to the 2020–2021 season, when Stones had a fantastic campaign and proved his mettle, there had been strong rumors that he was leaving City.

The 29-year-old, however, stuck with it, silenced his detractors, and hasn’t looked back since.