Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has admitted that he now regrets selling Nemanja Matic to Manchester United back in the 2017 summer transfer window.
With Michael Carrick ageing, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho made signing a defensive midfielder his priority and having already worked with Nemanja Matic during his Chelsea stint, he identified the Serbian international as a potential target. The 29-year-old holding midfielder played all but three Premier League games for Chelsea in Antonio Conte’s debut season and was a peripheral figure in the Blues lifting the Premier League honour.
But despite being a first-team regular, the Serbian international was allowed to join Manchester United for a reported £40million fee. Signing a three-year contract with an option of extending it to another year, Matic has yet again proved his worth and has played all of Manchester United’s 27 Premier League fixtures and has been substituted just twice.
So Chelsea are now up against Manchester United for the second time this season and that means the Serbian will be deployed against his former side yet again. Conte was quipped about his opinion on facing his former employee, and the Italian replied,
“About this player I can talk only really well because he played with us last season,” Conte was quoted by the Metro Sports.
“I think he was one of the key players in winning the title. Now Matic, unfortunately, is playing for Manchester United. I wish for him the best. Not on Sunday, but in the future.”
Conte was yet again asked as to why the Serbian, despite being such an important figure, was allowed to leave the club and the manager seemed least interested in answering that.
“In the past we have already managed this topic. I don’t want to come back and speak about the past because I think it’s not important, not interesting for us.”
The Blues decided to spend the Matic money on AS Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko during the summer but the Frenchman has failed to fill the void left by the Serbian.
Chelsea travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in a game that could well and truly decide the top four race. The Blues currently sit 4th on the Premier League log and are just three points behind 3rd-placed Manchester United. A win tomorrow will go a long way in cementing our spot in the top-4.