Mateo Kovacic admission proves why he's perfect Man City successor to Ilkay Gundogan

Mateo Kovacic has four Champions League medals, four Club World Cup medals, three UEFA Super Cups and one Europa League winner's medal. He has league titles in Spain and Croatia, and helped his country to the World Cup and Nations League finals.

If he retired now, he would have a personal trophy cabinet that few players in the world could rival. On his arrival to Manchester City, though, he is giving no thought to what he's already won.

Instead, he's only thinking about what there still is to win - the Premier League, and more titles over the next four years.

City have just lost their influential captain to Barcelona, and Kovacic will fill some of the positions that Ilkay Gundogan did for seven years. He has also demonstrated that he will keep the winner's mentality in the squad that has taken City to the top of European football.

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“I think City is just, at this time, the best club in Europe, and when I heard they wanted me, it’s a huge recognition for my game and a huge pleasure that such a big club wants you," he said in his welcome interview with City.

Having played under Zinedine Zidane and Thomas Tuchel among others, Kovacic stressed his excitement to play under Pep Guardiola, and desire to keep improving - an important mentality to possess in the City dressing room.

"I’ve played in big clubs in different countries, so it’s a huge pleasure to be at such big clubs," he said. "I’ve just learned that day-to-day training is the most important, to be ready for each training [session] at 100%, and this is what I want to be here as well: to be the best version of myself. I have a lot of room for improvement and to learn, so this is always a