Ole to weigh up Matic January exit dilemma

NEMANJA Matic’s United career feels like the jet engine that never got off the ground.

He arrived, at the end of July 2017, as the archetypal Jose Mourinho signing: 28 years old, an experienced Premier League winner who was physically and mentally up to the task of playing for the Reds.

He plugged a position that had become a problem at Old Trafford after both Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger failed to make the grade after being signed by Louis van

Gaal. “Nemanja is a Manchester United player and a Jose Mourinho player,” said the Portuguese at the time.

“He represents everything we want in a footballer; loyalty, consistency, ambition, team player.”

For a few months, we saw all those attributes and more. Matic was flying down the runway, but something prevented him from taking off.

Whether age has caught up with the Serbian, he’s been affected by a change in management and shift in playing style, is down to debate. But his decline had actually begun before Mourinho was replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The beginning of Solskjaer’s reign actually saw a mini Matic revival.

And so we’ve arrived here, back at the terminal, with Matic understood to be open to a hasty exit from Old Trafford.

He’s quickly drifted into ‘surplus to requirements’ territory, having started only twice in the league this season.

In the five appearances Matic has made this term, United have scored just twice when he’s been on the pitch. Albeit the midfielder has been injured for some of this time.

With his contract expiring in the summer, a January sale looks likely and the best outcome for all parties. The beginning of the end was some potentially confrontational comments about Solskjaer’s treatment of him during the September international break.

“The coach must opt for the team that will fight for the title and if he does not win, he bears the responsibility,” said Matic after being left out by his manager.

“There’s always pressure when you’re here,” Solskjaer responded.

“But, of course, I’m confident in what we’re doing, we’ve got a plan and the performances haven’t told me that we need to change direction.”

Two months later and Solskjaer must now weigh up the pros and cons of a Matic January sale.

Because as much as the Norwegian may believe that the 31-year-old isn’t a fit in this United squad, his departure would leave yet another gaping hole in a threadbare United midfield.

If United fail to replace Matic they will be left with just three senior central midfielders, with Paul Pogba the other. It’s a situation in which no top club can afford to leave themselves, let alone one of United’s size.

Rather, United ought to be strengthening their midfield before they allow it to be depleted. So allowing Matic to leave in January would only be acceptable if the United recruitment team can identify and negotiate two incoming midfield additions.

It might be contrary to the desires of Solskjaer, the United fanbase and possibly Matic himself, but the club may have to hold onto him until the end of the season.

It’s likely that the Serbian will push for an exit, meaning United, if they’re unsuccessful in the transfer market, will promote James Garner and possibly Dylan Levitt too from the Under23s. But after losing Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera in successive transfer windows, United simply cannot afford a third to unfold whereby they lose a midfielder without a replacement.