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Former footballer Garth Crooks has revealed that he is yet to be convinced that Mateo Kovacic is a good fit at Chelsea.
Crooks' comments come on the back of Kovacic's incredible display for the Blues against Liverpool on Sunday (January 2). The Croatian was impeccable in midfield and scored an absolutely stunning volley from outside the box to bring his side back into the game.
Kovacic and N'Golo Kante played starring roles as Chelsea rallied from 2-0 down to pick up an important point at Stamford Bridge. Both players made it into Crooks' BBC Team of the Week on the back of their excellent displays.
However, the pundit revealed to the BBC (via The Chelsea Chronicle) that he is not "totally convinced" by Kovacic. Crooks said:
"I've never been totally convinced that Chelsea was the right club for Mateo Kovacic but his performance against Liverpool was a bit special. It wasn't just his goal that was breath-taking but the way he pulled Chelsea back into the game and in the end might have won it for the Blues."
The former Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur forward added:
"He also formed an excellent midfield partnership with Kante. It would appear that Thomas Tuchel is getting the best out of the Croatian, which is more than could be said for Romelu Lukaku."
Mateo Kovacic is having arguably his best season at Chelsea
Kovacic began the 2021-22 campaign in incredible form. The Croatian scored a goal and assisted five times in Chelsea's first nine Premier League matches.
However, he suffered from adductor issues and also contracted COVID-19, which saw him miss more than 10 matches across all competitions. Kovacic returned to action on December 19 against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The midfielder had arguably his best display for the Blues since arriving on a permanent deal from Real Madrid in 2019 against Liverpool. Kovacic was not dribbled past even once, completed all of his take-ons, won each of his attempted tackles and made zero fouls on the night.
While the draw will likely take the sting out of Chelsea's title ambitions, the 27-year-old's performance was a major positive for Thomas Tuchel's side. Overall, Kovacic has featured 158 times for the Blues, scoring four goals and assisting 12.
He has won the UEFA Europa League, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Super Cup during his stint at Stamford Bridge.
