When it comes to dribbling in La Liga, two names instantly come to the mind of every football fan; Lionel Messi and Neymar.Even the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Andres Iniesta and Luka Modric are synonymous with the trait but yet none of these superstars can lay claim to being the most successful dribbler in the Spanish top-flight.The winning party does belong to one the division's heavyweight clubs but is not one you would associate with such an accolade. The name? Mateo Kovacic, the Croatian midfielder who Real Madrid plucked from Inter Milan in the summer.
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The 22-year-old is still seen as one of the brightest young talents in Europe but since his arrival in the Spanish capital, Kovacic has struggled for minutes.
Starting only 17 league games, the Croatian starlet has not made the impact he would have hoped for but at least he can lay claim to being statistically efficient when on the pitch.
Of course, this was the primary reason why he was brought to the club. Kovacic is seen as the natural successor to Modric, a midfielder capable of driving the team forward with his close control and acceleration.
In the summer, the Los Blancos man may opt to leave the club on a loan deal in order to return to regular first team football. Inter's arch-rivals AC Milan are rumoured to be interested, a move which would certainly spark some controversy in the Italian city.
If he is available on loan, Premier League clubs should certainly identify the Croatian as a target as he could represent a serious coup for many sides.
However, Zinedine Zidane may be thinking about including Kovacic more often, given the fact that the likes of Messi, Neymar and teammate Cristiano Ronaldo cannot compete with his ability to beat a man.
With the Spanish giants still fighting in the Champions League, the manager may choose to utilise this option and include the Croatian from the start in La Liga. Barcelona may be nipping at their heels domestically but European glory is definitely Los Blancos' primary objective.
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