Manchester United: Matic could return from injury as a centreback

Amidst a frustrating summer, Jose Mourinho is considering deploying Nemanja Matic as a centre-back. That is when he is healthy enough.

Ahead of United’s preseason humbling against Liverpool in Ann Arbor, Michigan, reports emerged that Jose Mourinho is considering moving Nemanja Matic to centreback if United don’t sign one in the next week and a half.

Matic was signed last summer from Chelsea and was one of United’s most consistent players throughout the last season. He recently joined up with the preseason tour of the USA after representing Serbia in the World Cup.

He usually played at defensive midfield for United, where his intelligence, positioning, and physicality allowed him to break up play, and recycle possession out to the more creative players.

Poor transfer business

If these reports are true, and Matic is moved to centre-back, then it is emblematic of shoddy transfer business conducted by United this summer. The Red Devils have been linked with a variety of defenders, particularly Spurs’ Toby Alderweireld, and Leicester’s Harry Maguire.

The centre of defence has become a problem situation for United. Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are now 26 and 28 respectively, but neither has developed into frontline centre-backs. Victor Lindelof is yet to be given a proper chance. Eric Bailly has been injury prone. Marcos Rojo is being linked with a move away to Wolves.

The fact that United have lacked top-class centre-backs since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement has been masked by the presence of David de Gea, one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

However, if Matic is being considered as a sacrifice to try to improve the situation, the alarm bells need to be set off. Mourinho will be weakening his midfield due to a lack of centre-backs he can’t trust, and this speaks volumes about the current group in place.

If Matic is moved there, who will take his place in midfield? No one has matched his consistency at United in the centre of the park.

Injury worries

We may not even get to see Matic in his new position until the season is already underway. In his press conference following the Liverpool game, Mourinho revealed that the Serbian midfielder had undergone surgery for an unspecified injury picked up during the World Cup.

Matic allegedly underwent the surgery in the US after joining up for the tour. Mourinho conceded that the issue had not healed itself with rest, and as a result, United will be without the midfielder for the opening weeks of the Premier League season.

When he does return, it had better be in his natural defensive midfield position. By shifting Matic out of position, Mourinho could be signing his own P45.