Manchester United’s move for Nemanja Matic allows Jose Mourinho to fully exploit his 4-3-3 formation for title challenge
Two-time Chelsea title winner set to make extraordinary £40m Old Trafford move and will allow Paul Pogba to shine
WHEN Jose Mourinho publicly humiliated Nemanja Matic it seemed highly unlikely they would link up again.
As his final few months at Chelsea began to unravel he claimed Matic needed too many touches to control the ball after a 2-1 Champions League defeat to Porto.
Worse was to follow when four days later he brought Matic on as a half-time substitute against Southampton only to sub him 28 minutes later.
As Mourinho tries to tempt him to Old Trafford he would rather remind Matic of the faith he had to bring him back to Stamford Bridge in the first place.
Remember he had been sold as part of the deal to get David Luiz before Mourinho got him back for £21million when he returned for his own second spell at the club.
How he turned him into a title winner and a player who became regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders around.
It is the player he wants now at United not just for what he can provide as an individual but as part of a plan to unlock the best from Paul Pogba.
Last season when Pogba had to sit deep in a two in a 4-2-3-1 formation he seemed uncertain of himself at stages.
He had to be aware of his defensive duties but at the same time was desperate to affect the game further forward.
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Now with Matic, Mourinho can feel more confident of playing a 4-3-3 with Pogba on the left giving him more freedom to do damage around the pitch.
He could allow Pogba to do that safe in the knowledge that Matic was behind him alongside the increasingly influential Ander Herrera who was one of United’s stand out players last season.
It would also fill the gap left by Michael Carrick who, while he has signed on for another year, is not a regular starter.
Ahead of them Mourinho aims to have Marcus Rashford on the left and Alvaro Morata through the middle, with Ivan Perisic on the right if he can get those deals done with Real Madrid and Inter Milan respectively.
Chelsea are holding out for £40million for 28-year-old Matic, one of the mainstays of last season’s title winning side.
If he can get him it would be another piece in Mourinho’s jigsaw. One which he believes will be complete with a picture of the Premier League trophy on it by next May.