Nemanja Matic has proved to be a difference in Manchester United's midfield since the restart (Getty Images)
According to a report from the BBC, Manchester United have triggered a one-year option in Nemanja Matic’s contract.
The Serbian international, 31, had entered the last four months of his contract, but Manchester United have tied him to the club until 2021.
He struggled for opportunities in the first few months of the campaign but has forced his way back into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans after a string of impressive performances in the absence of Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay.
Nemanja Matic started 9 of the last 10 Premier League games for the Red Devils, only missing one due to a one-game suspension. The report adds the midfielder is also in talks with the club over broadening the deal even further.
Meanwhile, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have shown real signs of improvement in 2020 and are currently on an 11-match unbeaten streak. They remain in contention in the FA Cup and UEFA Europa League and are fifth in the table.
The arrival of Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon has helped the club turn their fortunes around, while striker Ogion Ighalo’s addition on loan from Shanghai Shenhua in the January window has proven to be valuable.
Solskjaer has also been willing to trust in the club’s young players, with Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams breaking into the first-team this term. United still have top scorer Marcus Rashford and midfielder Paul Pogba to come back from injury which will increase optimism at Old Trafford that they can finish in the top four this campaign.
Having signed Fernandes and Ighalo in January, the Red Devils cannot rest on their laurels and must spend heavily in reinforcing the squad further in summer to compete with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City for the Premier League title next term.
Solskjaer is rebuilding United by putting emphasis on young, hungry and dynamic talents, but it is also important to surround them with experienced professionals. Having said that, United have done the right job by triggering a one-year extension in Matic’s existing deal.
Matic signed a three-year deal plus the one-year extension when he moved to Old Trafford from Chelsea in 2017. For a player who seemed surplus to requirements at the start of the season, the fact that the club has triggered the option of an extra year for the defensive midfielder shows how crucial he’s become since the start of 2020.
Since returning back from injury, the Serb has been in top form and his presence at the base of United’s midfield has seen an improvement in Fred’s performances as well. Matic has played a crucial role in the Red Devils’ impressive 11-game unbeaten run of late.
In these 11 games, Solskjaer’s side have scored 29 goals and conceded just twice, with the 31-year-old midfielder doing his best job as a shield to the backline.
Matic is a highly experienced player, having won the Premier League twice and FA Cup in his career. Given the manner he has bounced back and cemented his place in Solskjaer’s starting XI, United have made a fantastic decision in triggering the one-year extension in his contract.
