The transfer of midfielder Nemanja Matic from Chelsea to Manchester United is now official. The Serbian was formally unveiled as a member of the Red Devils on Monday. After passing his medical yesterday, and agreeing to personal terms, he’ll now wear #31 for the club, and will likely make his debut for United in the Super Cup August 8 against Real Madrid in Skopje, Macedonia.
The #31 was left vacant when the previous incumbent, another midfielder in Bastian Schweinsteiger, was sold to Chicago Fire in March.
Schweinsteiger is currently captaining the MLS All-Stars this week, who will take on Real Madrid Wednesday night in Chicago in the MLS All-Star game. Schweinsteiger’s current team, the Fire, are hosting the event.
Multiple outlets are reporting that the Nemanja Matic fee was £35 million with another £5 potential added on via incentive based pay. Matic has been a target of United and Manage Jose Mourinho all summer, but supposedly United’s swooping in to sign Everton striker Romelu Lukaku soured relations between the two clubs, and thus potentially made the prospects of a deal less likely.
However, later in this summer transfer window we saw reports that Chelsea Owner Roman Abramovich personally stepped in and sanctioned the deal, as a reward to Nemanja Matic for his service to the club.
The official club statement attributed to Mourinho reads: “Nemanja is a Manchester United player and a Jose Mourinho player. He represents everything we want in a footballer; loyalty, consistency, ambition, team player.
“I would like to thank him for his desire to join us because without that, it would be impossible to have him here. I am sure our players and supporters will love him. A big welcome to our new number 31.”
The statement sourced to Nemanja Matic says: “I am delighted to have joined Manchester United. To work with Jose Mourinho once again was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.
“I have enjoyed my time at Chelsea and would like to thank the club and the fans for their support. I cannot wait to meet my new team-mates and to start training with them.
“This is a very exciting time for the club and I am looking forward to playing my part in creating more history for this great club.”
A big welcome to our new no.31… #MaticIsRed pic.twitter.com/Mo1TM9gb26
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 31, 2017
The hash tag United are using for this one is #MaticIsRed
Very big things are expected for Nemanja Matic and Manchester United this season. His addition now gives Mourinho the opportunity to push Paul Pogba forward, thus further utilizing and enhancing the innate abilities and best talents of the world’s most expensive player.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV.
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