uNITeD cloSe IN oN £40M MaTIc
UNITED SET TO SIGN CHELSEA MIDFIELDER IN £40M DEAL
UNITED are close to finally completing the signing of Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic.
M.E.N. Sport understands the 28-year-old Serbian had his medical in Manchester yesterday, with the deal expected to be confirmed today.
Two-time Premier League winner Matic could cost United close to £40m and is expected to supplement a three-man midfield with Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera.
The M.E.N. revealed in May Matic wanted to reunite with Jose Mourinho and it is believed he has already verbally agreed personal terms on an Old Trafford transfer.
Matic’s desire to join United was so strong Chelsea coach Antonio Conte omitted him from their pre-season tour to China earlier this month.
It is suspected Chelsea dragged out the saga longer than United had hoped after they signed Romelu Lukaku from under the Premier League champions’ noses. That coup is also thought to have prompted Chelsea to demand a larger fee for Matic, who has entered the last two years of his Stamford Bridge contract. Mourinho wanted to sign Matic a year ago but Conte blocked a switch and the Serbia international started 30 of Chelsea’s Premier League fixtures as they regained the title.
United have admired Matic since David Moyes’ brief tenure and a source described him as ‘institutionally liked’ by the club’s scouts. Moyes was well poised to sign Matic in 2014 but the Scot dithered over a deal and Mourinho convinced Matic to rejoin Chelsea for £21m.
JOSE Mourinho believes Nemanja Matic’s desire to join United gave them a better chance of signing him than Juventus.
Matic, 28, had his United medical yesterday and could be unveiled by the club today ahead of a possible first appearance in the friendly against Sampdoria in Dublin on Wednesday.
Mourinho earmarked Matic as a priority signing months ago and the Serbia international was intent on reuniting with his former Chelsea manager at the end of last season.
Serie A champions Juventus were also interested but conceded defeat when it transpired Matic was determined to join United.
“I’m waiting for news,” Mourinho said after United’s friendly win over Valerenga in Oslo. “I’m waiting for news. I know that he wants that very, very much and when a player wants very, very much the chance is bigger, the chance is bigger.
“So I think we have a chance but in football until it’s official, I saw so many things happen that I refuse to say more than I am telling you now.”
Matic sported the number 31 – previously occupied by Bastian Schweinsteiger until he left in March – on his training kit in a legitimate picture which circulated on Twitter and Mourinho was asked about the image. “I don’t know because I was not there [at United’s Carrington training complex],” he replied. “I don’t know. I really don’t know. Number 31 is a free number. It was Schweinsteiger. It’s a free jersey, we have a few free and 31 is one of them.”