Nemanja Matic has confirmed he’ll be leaving Manchester United at the end of the season.
The 48-cap now former Serbia international joined United in 2017 after a hugely successful second spell at Chelsea, where he won two Premier League titles and a League Cup in three years. It was a reunion with Jose Mourinho at the time, and the presence of Matic in the middle of the park was supposed to provide more freedom and less defensive responsibility for Paul Pogba. However, it never really worked as planned, and he hasn’t been able to play a part as influential as previously at Stamford Bridge.
In all competitions, Matic has made a total of 183 appearances for United, scoring just four goals and providing nine assists.
These days, the 33-year-old is mostly used from the bench, when United need some added experience and steel in midfield late in a game. His starting days are obviously over.
“After a great deal of thought, I have decided that this season will be my last with Manchester United,” Matic wrote on his Instagram account.
“I have informed the board, the manager and the players of my decision.
“It has been a huge honour and a privilege to play for this great club. A big thank you to the fans for their unwavering support.
“I will now give everything until the end of the season to help my team-mates finish as strongly as possible.”
The contract Matic signed with United in 2020 was widely announced as a three-year deal. However, according to BBC reporter Simon Stone, it was actually for two years with an option on a third, which Matic has chosen not to trigger.
