Official: Nemanja Matic signs for Roma

Karan Tejwani

• Updated: 14 Jun 2022 14:56 BST
• 2 min read

Nemanja Matic has completed his move to Roma in Serie A on a free transfer, joining after his contract at Manchester United ran out.

Matic had been on the hunt for a new club after confirming he would not be given a new contract at Manchester United, as they look to rebuild their side in the summer transfer window.

The midfielder joins Jose Mourinho’s side after five years at Old Trafford with Manchester United, and he now joins the Portuguese boss in Italy having previously worked with him at Chelsea and later at the Red Devils.

The 33-year-old has joined on a one-year deal, lasting until the summer of 2023, and has the option to extend for a further season if the club choose to take up the deal.

Matic joins Roma on the back of a season where the club won their first-ever European trophy, as they beat Feyenoord to lift the inaugural Conference League in Tirana.

Mourinho now wants to build on that success by going far in the Europa League and managing to qualify for the Champions League, which the Giallorossi haven’t participated in since 2018.

Adding in experience like Matic will be vital for Mourinho’s side, and he joins other senior players in the team such as Rui Patricio, Chris Smalling, Leonardo Spinazzola and more.

Matic joins from Manchester United, who he made 189 appearances for over five years and scored four goals, but won no trophies in his time at the club, losing an FA Cup and Europa League final once.

Prior to that, Matic was at Chelsea, where he made 151 appearances, winning two league titles – once under Mourinho and once under Antonio Conte.

This came after his spell at Benfica, where he developed into one of the brightest young defensive midfielders on the European scene, which earned him his return to Chelsea in 2013.