12 months ago if Manchester United fans were told Nemanja Matic has signed a contract extension through to 2023 there would be a largely negative reaction.
United have had a bad habit of extending ageing and often under performing players’ deals, with Chris Smalling, Ashley Young, Juan Mata, Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones among them.
A year ago Matic would have fallen into this same category.
Now amid reports from Gianluca di Marzio that Matic has now extended his contract through to 2023, there has been a very strong positive reaction, and this tells you all you need to know about Matic’s current form.
Here is a look at the reaction to Matic’s reported new deal…
Best spell since joining the club
Matic joined Manchester United in 2017 from Chelsea in a surprise £40 million deal, to re-unite with Jose Mourinho.
While the move showed promise at first, Matic was one of the players who struggled during Mourinho’s nightmare 2018/19 season which saw him sacked by December.
The Serbian was pointed by fans to as an under-performing favourite of the manager, and expected him to be moved on by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
To Solskjaer’s credit, he kept the door open for Matic, and has been rewarded with the veteran midfielder playing some of the best football of his career.
United have a superior clean sheet record when Matic starts, and while it will be a priority to sign a young defensive midfielder, it is clear the veteran still has plenty more to offer still at 31-years-old.
Right now he is key to allowing Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba pull the strings in United’s midfield.
If keeping Matic means we are signing up for more of what we have seen over the last couple of weeks, then this is a very good deal.
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