Mateo Kovacic's 94% and 100% stats show why Man City can't sell him this summer
Mateo Kovacic's future remains up in the air at Manchester City after a 2025-26 campaign from hell on the sidelines.
The 32-year-old played just nine goals across all competitions, plagued by injuries, and treated as a second-choice figure by Pep Guardiola.
Even when fit, he often found himself stuck on the bench, with Nico Gonzalez trying to push into the lineup as Rodri's backup.
Due to the lack of minutes, multiple clubs have been linked with the midfielder's signature, not least Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.
Despite the interest, there have been some serious question marks lingering over Kovacic's abilities at the very top level.
Thankfully, the 2026 World Cup has given Enzo Maresca the perfect opportunity to make that decision for himself, and it's a positive one.
Mateo Kovacic's stats speak a thousand words
Although Croatia were eventually knocked out of the tournament by Portugal on Friday, 3 July, it was a chance for the veteran to shine.
Partnering the legendary Luka Modric in midfield, that is always going to be a difficult task, but the Man City man more than proved his worth.
In 90 minutes, Kovacic completed 94 per cent of his passes, had three shots on target, two from long-range, and completed 100 per cent of his dribbles [FotMob].
He also made three passes into the final third, made one tackle and three recoveries, charged into five ground duels, and even won a foul for his team.
Many in the stadium thought he had sent Croatia through the round of 16, only to see one of his strikes tipped onto the post. It just wasn't to be for Zlatko Dalic's men.
What is Kovacic's situation at Man City?
As previously mentioned, multiple high-profile clubs are said to be keeping tabs on the 32-year-old, but he remains a City player for now.
Maresca will need to seriously evaluate the squad ahead of next season, and Elliot Anderson's arrival may throw a spanner in the works for Kovacic.
The Croatian international's contract expires next summer, meaning that he could have a whole season to prove himself to the new manager.
Mick Brown told Football Insider last month that Kovacic is likely to be one of the next out of the door, but Man City cannot afford to keep losing so much experience in one window.