David James has admitted he’s surprised that Manchester City have made a move for Mateo Kovacic this summer and instead thinks the Croatian would’ve been ‘more suited to Liverpool’.
Having enjoyed a successful few years at Stamford Bridge the former Real Madrid man is closing in on a £30m move to the Etihad, that’s according to Fabrizio Romano on Twitter.
Ex-Red James believes Jurgen Klopp’s high intensity style of play would’ve suited Kovacic and has labelled the 29-year-old as a ‘magical’ player.
“Someone who plays like Mateo Kovacic does, I would have thought would be more suited to Liverpool than Manchester City,” James told King Casino Bonus (via Metro).
“I’ve been buzzing off this guy for a few years now; the way he picks the ball up and goes through lines with ease, it looks like he is always at 100mph. There is something magical about the way he plays.
“There is a lot of speed, energy and pace in the way Liverpool have played ever since Jurgen Klopp took over and someone like Kovacic would be ideal for that.
“The way that Man City play is typically a lot slower and less reliant on running with the ball, just look at Kevin de Bruyne’s passing stats.
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“Pep Guardiola might be thinking of having a tactical re-think again, Kovacic isn’t the type of player I thought Man City would be going after.
“Then again, neither was Erling Haaland and that worked out alright! I think if a player like Kovacic went for Liverpool however, I think that would be a great fit.”
Chelsea struggled majorly last term and Kovacic only registered two goals and two assists (across all competitions). He’s a very talented player, though, and Pep Guardiola will help him develop even further.
After becoming a free agent this summer Ilkay Gundogan has left City to join Barcelona and the Sky Blues will view the Croatia international as a perfect replacement for the former Borussia Dortmund man.
Klopp, meanwhile, is desperate to strengthen his own options in the middle of the park further following the signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton earlier this month.
There were no links between Kovacic and Liverpool but it’s understandable as to why James thought he’d be a good fit for the Reds.
He’s a player that would bring a lot of energy and dynamism to the engine room and despite the fact he’s approaching 30 years of age £30m is somewhat of a bargain for a player of his experience.