Klopp Magic: Liverpool edging closer to sign Real Madrid star despite threat from Juventus and Milan.
Jul 25, 2016 at 6:15 PM
Liverpool now face some serious challenge from Juventus and AC Milan in their chase for out-of-favour Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who is not in Zinedine Zidane’s plans for the new season. But according to a report from Fichajes.net, Liverpool are the firm favourite.
Kovacic was linked with a move to Anfield last summer also but he chose to join Real in a £26million deal from Inter Milan.
However, despite the hefty transfer fee, the midfielder has struggled to make inroads into the first-team and played only eight La Liga matches last term.
And Spanish newspaper Marca claim Real wants to offload some players who they can’t guarantee regular game time, including Kovacic.
It is said the Croatia international’s place in the first-team will come under further threat from Portugal star Andre Gomes, if Real signed him.
Latest reports suggest Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is keen to take advantage of the situation and snap up Kovacic.
However, the Croatia international is believed to be determined to fight for his place in Zinedine Zidane’s team and has returned early for pre-season training in a bid to impress.
But it could be little too late for the 22-year-old, with the £50m arrival of Gomes from Valencia thought to be imminent.
Kovacic has made a total of 25 league appearances for Real since he joined last year and has 29 caps for Croatia.
Primarily operating as a central midfielder, Kovacic’s strengths suit this position perfectly, combining defence and attack. While it is not Kovacic’s most enduring attribute, he is a comfortable defensive player.
Where Kovacic excels in midfield is with his passing game—the Real Madrid midfielder is certainly one of Europe’s most promising creative players. He also boasts with a remarkable dribbling ability and tight ball control.