Mateo Kovacic has claimed that Manchester City have a player who is so brilliant that he cannot use just one word to describe him.
Considering Kovacic is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, for him to say such a thing is a huge compliment.
The 29-year-old has had an enviable career.
After all, Mateo Kovacic has won four Champions League titles, one La Liga, the FIFA Club World Cup twice and has been in a World Cup final.
The former Dinamo Zagreb academy graduate is one of the few players in the game in the past few years who has managed to replicate his form at club level for his national team as well.
In addition, the decorated technician has also had the privilege of playing with some of the greatest players of all time.
Kovacic says City ace is so good he can’t use one word to describe him
At Real Madrid, Mateo Kovacic had the pleasure of playing with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Marcelo and Sergio Ramos to name a few.
In a Chelsea shirt, the experienced campaigner also played with names like N’Golo Kante and Thiago Silva.
During his spell at Inter Milan, Mateo Kovacic played alongside legends of the game like Javier Zanetti, Walter Samuel and Diego Milito.
In the Croatian national team, the Manchester City maestro has trained and played with world-class midfielders like Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic.
It’s safe to say that Kovacic knows a great player when he sees one.
When asked to describe Rodri in one word, Mateo Kovacic found it a difficult task due to how exceptional a player he is.
“A few words because Rodri is such a great player and great character but I would describe [him] as important, engine”, he told beIN SPORT Asia.
Kovacic might name Rodri as the best number six he has ever played with
By the time Mateo Kovacic hangs up his boots, he might name Rodri as the greatest defensive midfielder he has ever played with, in our view.
The best holding midfielders the £62.5 million man has played with so far in his career are Casemiro and N’Golo Kante.
However, during his time at Chelsea, Kante was at his very best as a box-to-box midfielder.
At Real Madrid, Casemiro was an out-and-out number six and an exceptional one as well.
But the way Rodri is performing, especially this season at the base of midfield and making an impact across all phases of the pitch, Mateo Kovacic might reckon he is yet to play with a defensive midfielder like him.
Also considering the Spanish international has added goals and assists to his name, Kovacic may have no option but to recognise him as the greatest number six he has ever shared the pitch with.
As incredible as Kante and Casemiro were at their peak, it would be disingenuous not to name the treble-winner in the same conversations as them; such is the bar he has set at Manchester City.