According to 24 Sata, as cited by Daily Mail, Nemanja Matic is considering leaving Manchester United in the upcoming January transfer window. The midfielder has grown frustrated due to his lack of game-time at Old Trafford. With his current contract expiring at the end of the season, he will free to leave after the turn of the year. And in this article, we will discuss why letting go of Matic would be the right decision from Man United.
Matic hasn’t been proactive
Over the past couple of years, Matic’s overall pace and tenacity have taken a considerable dip. Unlike his days at Chelsea, the Serbian has lacked the mobility and has appeared too one-dimensional as far as his defensive game in midfield is concerned. Besides, he has also supplied very little work-rate in the second line of press.
As a result, Man United haven’t been effective in their pressing, which, in turn, has made them less-sharp when compared to other big teams in the league. The ex-Benfica star’s wealth of experience hasn’t been beneficial either, as it often gets cancelled out by his chronic lack of pace and mobility.
Therefore, United must sell Matic in January and instead, sign a more proactive midfielder, who can add dynamism in the middle third of the pitch. Denis Zakaria, for one, could be an ideal replacement.
Lack of technical quality
In modern football, central defensive midfielders have emerged as the backbone of any big club in Europe. With the club expected to dominate possession, it becomes imperative for their CDMs to distribute possession at a level where they can ease not only the build-up but also the transition play.
Clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have that, thanks to the ingenuity of players like Sergio Busquets, Casemiro and Thiago Alcantara/Joshua Kimmich. However, at United, Matic’s lack of technical prowess means they are often crippled in their possession-play.
The Serbian just doesn’t have the quality to rotate possession against a high-pressing opponent, which causes a lot of problems for the Red Devils, especially in the high-profile encounters.
He is in the final phase of his career
While Matic’s form has certainly deteriorated over the past couple of years, he is also nearing the final stage of his career. The ex-Red Star midfielder is already 31 years old, which clearly has affected his overall athleticism and mobility, thereby affecting his performances at the highest level of football.
These problems are only going to increase as he gets older. Therefore, the Red Devils should ship him out in January before he turns 32 next season.
