Mateo Kovacic has been told that he can upgrade Chelsea's midfield by adding more goals to his game. The 28-year-old netted the opener in the Blues' 2-1 win over RB Salzburg in spectacular fashion.
The Croatia international scored just his fifth goal for the west Londoners as Graham Potter's side booked a place in the Champions League round of 16. Kovacic has now featured 197 times for Chelsea since joining from Real Madrid three years ago and, while he chips in with the occasional stunner from range, he's yet to arm himself with the ability to arrive late into the box and score, just as Frank Lampard - the predecessor of his number eight shirt - did for so many years.
According to Gabby Agbonlahor, Kovacic is underrated and can become 'even better' if he can regularly chip in with goals. Speaking on talkSPORT, the former Premier League striker said: "Kovacic is that player that doesn’t get the plaudits he deserves.
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"Whenever he’s on the ball, he always wants to play, always wants the ball in any position. He’s very good at running with the ball as well. If he can add more goals, he’ll be even better for Chelsea."
Kovacic, who sees his deal at Stamford Bridge expire in 2024, has been central to much of the Blues' success in recent years. He's helped Chelsea win the Champions League, the Europa League, FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.
The £34.7million-rated midfielder has recently suffered from a lack of rest amid a congested fixture schedule. Kovacic was one of four players to come into the Chelsea starting XI in Austria following the draw with Manchester United at the weekend.
He took the Salzburg game by storm but was eventually replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek with just over 20 minutes to spare. Supporters online speculated whether Kovacic had triggered a knee injury he had had to nurse already this season but Potter clarified that it was a calf issue instead.
Speaking to the press, the Chelsea boss said: "He is feeling his calf a little bit, it is a heavy pitch. He was feeling a little bit of tightness, hopefully, it’s not too bad. It is just how it is at this point of the season."
With the Blues set to face Arsenal and Manchester City in the near future, Potter will be looking to keep Kovacic in tip-top condition ahead of November. N'Golo Kante and Jorginho are set to leave Chelsea at the end of the season once their contracts expire so the 47-year-old has even more reason to protect the Croatian.
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