Mourinho looking to reunite with his former midfielder.
AS Roma manager Jose Mourinho is interested in luring Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic to the Stadio Olimpico this summer following the Serbian’s announcement that he will leave the Red Devils.
Mourinho signed Matic when he was United boss in 2017 for £40 million from Chelsea. He previously brought the defensive midfielder to Stamford Bridge during his second tenure in charge of the London club in 2014.
It appears that the duo could be reunited for a third time as TuttoMercato reports that the Roma manager is eyeing a move for the 33-year-old once again.
Matic announced last week that he would not be extending his stay with the Red Devils, putting an end to his five-year spell at Old Trafford.
During his time at Manchester United, the veteran midfielder has been one of the side’s most consistent performers. However, he has struggled for first-team opportunities in recent seasons.
The Serbian has appeared 184 times for United, scoring four goals and contributing nine assists across all competitions.
Jose Mourinho’s love story with Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic
Matic is a Mourinho man
Matic was a youngster coming up through the ranks at Stamford Bridge. Like many Chelsea teenagers, the midfielder was sent out on loan to Vitesse Arnhem to increase his game time. The defensive midfielder would move to Primeira Liga side Benfica in 2011 for £4.5 million.
However, Jose Mourinho always had an eye on the Serbian during his time at Benfica. Matic’s eye-catching performances resulted in interest from a number of sides. Mourinho then sanctioned the midfielder’s return for £21 million in 2014 and heaped praise on the development Matic had shown in Portugal. He told BBC Sport:
“He has grown as a player in Portugal and has become a fantastic all-round midfielder.”
The duo would then go on to have huge success during their time together in west London. With the Stamford Bridge outfit, the pair won the Premier League and the FA Cup in 2015.
The Portuguese manager’s time at the Blues would soon end the following season as the reigning champions were floundering in the bottom half of the table.
The pair’s relationship wouldn’t end there. Two years later, Mourinho was at the helm of Manchester United and is in stark need of a defensive midfielder. Despite having toyed with the idea of bringing Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Eric Dier in, there was only one man Mourinho wanted for the job.
Matic was brought to Old Trafford as part of Mourinho’s rebuild. The Portuguese said about the transfer in a statement:
“Nemanja is a Manchester United player and a Jose Mourinho player. He represents everything we want in a footballer; loyalty, consistency, ambition, team player.”
It appears the Portuguese coach wants to reunite with the Serbian. Given the success they have enjoyed together, it’s not hard to see why.
