Nemanja Matic: Mourinho’s Key to Opening the United Midfield
It seems a common theme these past few years: a man in London blue finds himself in Manchester red by the end of the summer. Juan Mata, Romelu Lukaku, even revered manager Jose Mourinho himself have made their way across England to bring glory back to one of soccer’s mightiest houses. This year has brought us yet another chapter in this cycle, but this one may very well be the most important of them all.
2-time Premier League champion and Serbian midfield enforcer Nemanja Matic has joined up again with his former boss and will play for the Manchester United this season, leaving after three years of service to Chelsea FC.
With Matic now finding himself in the company of Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba, Mourinho has given himself the flexibility to dismantle opposing sides in the midfield and free the attack in a matter of seconds.
United’s standard 4–2–3–1 would allow for the new Serbian midfielder to act as a shield for a back line that has recently added Vincent Lindelof to partner next to central defender Eric Bailly. Herrera has proven to be a real nuisance in disrupting attacking buildup, averaging three tackles and three interceptions per game. Allowing Pogba to roam and operate forward with the likes of Henrik Mkhitaryan, Anthony Martial and Romelu Lukaku surrounding him, well… you should be concerned to say the least.
Matic will mostly fill the “void” as some would call it that Marouane Fellaini will be leaving behind as sources continue to link the Belgian with a move to Turkey. While Matic may not be as efficient as Fellaini in tackles per gamed and aerial duels, the former Chelsea man led in categories such as passing percentage, key passes, and interceptions per game in his 2nd title-winning campaign with the Blues.
And with Michael Carrick approaching the end of his career, his role could be much more influential as a late substitute; perhaps even making way for the young defensive midfielder Timothy Fosu-Mensah in starting appearances and mentoring the 19-year old Dutchman in training.
Nemanja Matic could very well end up being United’s most important signing this year. Though the haul for his services ($47m reported including fees) may be viewed as steep for some, there is little doubt in its necessary value for Jose Mourinho’s squad moving forward.
Chelsea fans can only hope that the increasing war chest at their disposal will be utilized in replacing a central figure in their 2015 and 2017 title winning seasons. While they hardly lack firepower at the position in the forms of N’golo Kante, Cesc Fabregas and newly-acquired Frenchman, Tiemoue Bakayoko, the heart of their midfield is rather thin with the departure of Nemanja Matic. Not just as a player, but as an enforcer and leader that will certainly be welcomed in the Manchester United locker room.
United have always been big players in the summer market; never shying away from splashing the cash when given the chance. Yet an unsung presence both on and off the pitch, a proven champion in the highest level of competition, and a familiar face for Jose Mourinho and his evolving squad in Manchester, may be the very spark that puts them back on top in the Premier League.
