Ex-Chelsea manager and player Glenn Hoddle has ripped Mateo Kovacic to shreds for the impact he’s making at Stamford Bridge this campaign.
The 24-year-old midfielder is currently on a season-long loan with the Blues from Spanish heavyweights Real Madrid and has been frequently used by manager Maurizio Sarri.
He’s been involved in 38 games across all competitions this season after starting in the 3-0 win over Dynamo Kiev on Thursday night in the Europa League last-16 first leg tie.
BT Sport pundit Hoddle has heavily criticised the central midfielder for his lack of goal involvement though and believes he’s blocking the path of Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
“I don’t know what he (Kovacic) does for Chelsea, I really don’t,” Hoddle told BT Sport.
“He’s played 37 games Kovacic and he’s not scored a goal. I’ve not seen him create anything. That’s a classic example of the foreign players stopping our English players coming through and getting opportunities.”
Kovacic is an eye-catching footballer that is technically gifted on the ball and does provide good energy in the centre of the park.
But zero goals and just two assists in a Chelsea shirt is an abysmal return and he needs to be providing much more to warrant a start.
N’Golo Kante has managed to adapt his brilliant defensive game to at least provide something going forward and he looks a greater attacking threat than Kovacic, while Jorginho is in the team as the deep-lying playmaker.
The Croatia internatonal keeps it tidy in possession and shows some real glimpses of quality, but his spot in the team is coming over a player in Loftus-Cheek that would provide so much more.
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