Serie A giants Juventus are reportedly set to capture Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic on a free transfer in the upcoming summer transfer window.
According to a report by Daily Star, Juventus have already started laying the groundwork to sign Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic on a Bosman move this summer, with the 33-year-old set to receive a £10 million signing-on fee.
Matic joined the Manchester United from Chelsea for a reported £40 million fee back in the summer of 2017 when Jose Mourinho was in charge at Old Trafford, having previously been a key player for the Portuguese tactician during the Blues’ title-winning 2014/15 season.
While Mourinho was sacked midway through the 2018/19 season, Matic has remained a fine servant for the club over the years and has racked up 189 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions, directly contributing to 15 goals in the process (four goals, 11 assists).
During the 2020/21 season, he was even rewarded with an improved extension until 2023. However, this arrangement will be cut short by a season. The 33-year-old has already confirmed that he will leave Manchester United after the current campaign, bringing the curtains down on his five-year spell at the Theatre of Dreams without any major trophies under his belt.
Despite only being a rotation option at the start of the season, Matic has consistently delivered professional performances when called upon, unlike most of his teammates. In fact, the veteran midfielder has made 32 outings, most of which have come under interim boss Ralf Rangnick.
As such, there is no shortage of interest in the Serbian midfielder, with Serie A giants like AS Roma and Juventus keen on snapping him up. The Daily Star now claims that Matic has opted to join Juventus, who are ready to offer the 33-year-old lucrative terms for a switch to Turin.
By terminating his Manchester United deal prematurely, Matic would lose £6.25 million in salaries and bonuses. However, that will get balanced by a hefty £10 million signing-on bonus at Juventus, while he will be netting £90,000 per week in wages in Italy. Massimiliano Allegri wants the Serb to add some experience in midfield as they gradually incorporate the youngsters into the senior squad.
While the lower tempo and pace of Serie A could benefit Matic owing to his waning physical ability, signing a midfielder well past his prime would still be a befuddling move on part of Juventus given the finances involved when they have signed a defensive midfielder in Denis Zakaria only last January. Also, it will deter the development of young talent Fabio Miretti, who has impressed in recent games.
As far as Manchester United are concerned, they will be happy to relax their wage bill a bit. Their need for a defensive-minded midfielder has been well-documented for a long while now, with AS Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni emerging as a target. How this transfer story evolves over the summer will be an intriguing watch, though.
