Barcelona are reportedly interested in Nemanja Matic and are weighing up the possibility of signing the Manchester United midfielder next year.
According to an exclusive report by The Sun, Nemanja Matic is the subject of interest from Barcelona over a move in next summer’s transfer window. The veteran midfielder has a little over 18 months left on his deal with Manchester United and could depart Old Trafford on a cut-price fee next year.
Nemanja Matic joined Manchester United from Chelsea in the summer of 2017 and has since proven to be a valuable asset for the Red Devils. A consistent performer under both Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the 33-year-old has amassed 165 appearances, chipping in with four goals and eight assists along the way.
However, in the past year or so, the veteran Serb has been showing signs of age catching up to him. And with just over 18 months left on his Manchester United deal to run out, Matic could well be on his way out of Old Trafford next summer if a renewal is not handed to him. This is where Barcelona come into the picture.
The interest from Barcelona might come as a bit of a surprise considering Matic’s age. However, it does make sense for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the Blaugrana chose not to bring in a midfielder this past summer despite selling Ilaix Moriba to RB Leipzig and loaning Miralem Pjanic out to Besiktas.
Such a decision has left Ronald Koeman shortchanged in the midfield department, forcing him to bank on Gavi and Nico Gonzalez. Now, while the teenage duo have shown a lot of promise and are touted to form the long-term midfield core along with Frenkie de Jong and Pedri, it is worth noting that they cannot be used in every single game unless Barcelona risk burning them out.
As a result, bringing Matic in from Manchester United could help the Catalan giants with a short-term solution in midfield till Gavi and Gonzalez are ready to become indispensable figures. To that end, the Serbian international is a viable target ahead of options like Renato Sanches, Franck Kessie and others.
With that in mind, Barcelona are plotting a summer move for the 33-year-old, who might only cost around £10 million. Manchester United, on their part, might not be averse to the idea of offloading Matic, with Aurelien Tchouameni on their radar. How this transfer story evolves will be interesting to view, though.
