Manchester City may have Declan Rice and Mateo Kovacic as their new midfielders in the upcoming 2023/24 season. Since, they aim to defend their European title under Pep Guardiola’s guidance. Kovacic has already reached a personal agreement with Manchester City and a deal is imminent. City is also expressing interest in Rice, the captain of West Ham United. According to The Guardian, City is to join the race for the English midfielder’s signature, alongside Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Newcastle United, and Manchester United.
A Rice-Kovacic partnership at the Etihad next season is a genuine possibility. Furthermore, their past praise for each other provides a solid foundation to build upon.
During an interview with BT Sport last year, Declan Rice was asked to identify his toughest midfield opponents in the Premier League. He specifically praised Kovacic’s technical prowess, highlighting his admiration for the Chelsea midfielder’s skills.
“He is incredible. I think you don’t really realise how good he is until you play against him. Obviously, when you watch him, you appreciate the good footballer that he is.”
“He can take the ball in tight areas, his dribbling ability is unbelievable, he can find a pass, control games, and is fairly quick as well. He’s always been a tough opponent to play against. Every time I played against him, even in the Euros, he’s done some stuff on the ball where I thought, ‘wow, he’s a top player’.”
What did Kovacic say about Declan Rice?
In a separate instance, Kovacic has also expressed his admiration for Rice. Prior to the England match against Croatia in Euro 2020, Kovacic spoke highly of Rice. Thus, further emphasizing the mutual appreciation between the two players.
“They [England] have an excellent midfield. [Mason] Mount is in excellent form. Rice as well in West Ham, and [Jordan] Henderson. They have a lot of quality there.”
If Declan Rice and Kovacic were to join Manchester City, they would enhance Guardiola’s midfield options, which already include Rodri, Kalvin Phillips, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, and Kevin De Bruyne. However, there is a possibility that Gundogan might leave when his contract expires at the end of the month. Additionally, Paris Saint-Germain has shown interest in Silva, and Phillips has also been linked with a potential exit from City. Therefore, Rice and Kovacic could potentially serve as replacements for any departing players, ensuring continuity in the team’s midfield.
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