After weeks of speculations, Manchester United have finally managed to land Nemanja Matic from Premier League champions Chelsea. The Serbian midfielder was one of Jose Mourinho’s star recruitment back when he was with the Blues and now with the arrival of Tiemoue Bakayoko, his time at Stamford Bridge had already come to an end.
Manchester United have been desperate for a midfielder since the departures of Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger. Two players moving out, had to be balanced with an instrumental signing and the 28-year-old seems more than perfect for them. Despite bringing in the huge Paul Pogba from Juventus last summer, the manager had often struggled to find a perfect combination for his three-man midfield.
Belgian international Marouane Fellaini had a pretty erratic season last campaign where he found himself to be the culprit on many instances, as United gave away crucial points. Despite having a tall frame and strong physique, Fellaini’s lack of speed on the counters was a big letdown that pulled the side back. While the grit of Ander Herrera alongside Pogba was exciting, Fellaini can only be used as a contingency next season.
Mourinho hasn’t taken risks in getting unproven and exciting players this summer. He has always gone for options who can be thrown right into the muddle from the start, and both Matic and Romelu Lukaku are such purchases. Their years of experience in the Premier League could come a long way in handing Manchester United the title this season.
Matic has been one of the most successful players for the London club in both his stints. Chelsea had first bought him from Serbia’s second tier side FC VSS Kosice in 2009 when was a 20-year-old. And despite him showing decent promise, the player was sold to Portuguese side Benfica two years later in 2011.
However, the midfielder’s progress couldn’t be overlooked as he became stronger with Benfica winning the Championship (Liga NOS) with them. Consequently, he was brought back by Chelsea again three years later, and this time, he helped them win two Premier League titles in the last three years.
His ability to adapt to any role in the midfield is worth applauding. Whether it was Cesc Fabregas, who preferred to defend less and be more on the attack or N’Golo Kante who used all the field to ply his trade, Matic has been a perfect partner to them. He uses his tall frame optimally in the most congested area of the field and his long-range shooting is also quite unparalleled at times.
So by the looks of it, United have found the right man for their system this summer.
