Can Maurizio Sarri get the best out of Mateo Kovacic at Chelsea?

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Despite having bags of potential and talent, Mateo Kovacic has gone a long while without being first-choice.

At Inter Milan, he was still a youngster and at Real Madrid, he was a proverbial bench-warmer.

And speaking to Sport Klub TV after Chelsea’s 3-2 win over Arsenal on Saturday, it sounds like all Kovacic wants is to feel wanted.

Kovacic said: “It was important for me after three years without continuity in Madrid to find a team and coach that want me, and that happened in Chelsea.

“The club wanted me and the coach believes in me. That is what I need.”

Kovacic arrived in Madrid from Inter Milan with a lot of promise and potential behind him.

But the Croatian failed to nail down a starting spot for Los Blancos, with competition from Toni Kroos, Casemiro and Luka Modric.

So, after joining Chelsea in the deal that saw Thibaut Courtois move the other way, you can understand why Kovacic feels rejuvenated.

Jorginho and N’Golo Kante have nailed down two out of the three starting midfield spots, leaving just one space.

And although he will be competing with Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Kovacic looks favourite for this last spot.

He will only get better with regular football and is still not in his prime.

And with a manager who believes in him and wants him, we could see Kovacic play a vital role in Chelsea’s success (or failure) this season.

Sarri’s desire to play possession-based attacking suits Kovacic’s athletic, technically-skilled attributes perfectly.

Kovacic plays with a dynamism and has excellent dribbling and passing range that will be key for Chelsea’s tactical set-up.

However, as Chelsea are competing in four different competitions, rotation may be vital for Sarri’s success going forward.

This may mean that the Italian may decide to rotate his midfielders, meaning Kovacic’s playing time might again be restricted.