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Matteo Kovacic recently reflected on his decision to leave Chelsea for Manchester City. The Croatian midfielder reckoned that he should've made the move at an earlier stage of his career.
Kovacic ended his association with Chelsea during the summer transfer window after it became apparent that he was out of Mauricio Pochettino's plans at Stamford Bridge. The 29-year-old ended up joining Manchester City in a deal worth €29 million, according to Transfermarkt.
The Croatian is rapidly gaining prominence in Pep Guardiola's side, having made 14 appearances for the club across all competitions so far and amassing 956 minutes of playing time.
Speaking to reporters while on international duty with his country this week, the midfielder regretted not making the move earlier on in his career. He said (via The News Guru):
“It’s amazing and tough because I’m learning a lot of new things and I would have loved to come at an earlier age to learn. But it’s never too late to learn. I think like that. So I’m happy I can learn from him and what he tells you."
The former Chelsea and Real Madrid star further discussed training under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. He said:
“I would’ve loved someone to have told me a few years ago. But yeah, now I can still learn and you can really tell he is fantastic. I’ve really enjoyed it from the first moment. It was tough the first few days to understand what he wants – ‘don’t move there, go there’."
Kovacic added:
“So I like to run a lot on the pitch sometimes – ‘go there, go there’. But he told me, ‘Be more calm, don’t run too much’. So it was like a little bit of surprise for me as well and it’s nice. The club you can tell from the first day is amazing. The people are great, and the city is also nice.”
What's next for Chelsea and Manchester City?
Chelsea and Manchester City's recent Premier League clash on Sunday, November 12, was relished by fans and pundits alike. It proved to be a highly entertaining game, with both sides grabbing a point each after playing out a 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Both clubs are currently on break with their players having departed for international duty this week. They will get back to action when the Premier League returns next weekend.
Chelsea are scheduled to take on Newcastle United in an what promises to be another epic clash at Saint James Park on November 25. Manchester City, meanwhile, will welcome Liverpool to the Etihad Stadium for a top-of-the-table encounter on the same day.
