Nemanja Matic’s performances were nothing short of dreadful last season; and it is looking like he might pay the ultimate price.
With Conte coming in and looking to freshen up the side, it seems clear that he will get rid of a lot of the dead weight in the Chelsea ranks.
If you looked at Matic at the start of the last season, he seemed a shoe in for a new contract and to spent the best years of his career with the Blues.
Fast forward a year however, and this has all changed. After a dreadful season, many of the punters here in the Tavern think its time for the Serbian to leave the blues.
Our landlord agrees; he thinks the midfielders time at the Bridge is up; and here are FIVE reasons why.
[ffc-gallery]
PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE 5 REASONS WHY CONTE SHOULD SELL NEMANJA MATIC TO MAN UNITED THIS SUMMER
[/ffc-gallery]
His Performance’s Last Season
At the core of any Chelsea departures this summer will be their performances last season; and Matic was at fault as much as any other player.
Matic spearheaded the Chelsea defensive line during their title campaign and looked fantastic doing it; it is of no surprise that Chelsea began to falter when he lost his form.
On top of that, he rarely looked bothered about his performances; perhaps more of a wider indication of the Chelsea players generally last season.
At a club like Chelsea you cannot afford to have a season as a passenger, especially with so many players given one year rolling contracts to prove themselves.
Inconsistency
A central midfielder is a player that managers build their teams around. Everything often goes through them; and they cant afford to make mistakes.
The Serbian’s dramatic dip in form last season is simply something that a midfield general like himself cannot have; and it cost the Blues dearly.
With the West London giants looking to rebuild, they will be looking towards their spine of their team and attempt to build around them.
Unfortunately, Matic’s inconsistency means he cannot be relied on as part of that spine.
Unhappy
What also seems clear in the media is that Matic is simply unhappy at Chelsea.
A reunion with Jose Mourinho at United is of course not ideal, but it may be the only choice for the Blues.
As Chelsea enter a new era, they need all their players to be happy and passionate about the club as they look to rebuild.
If reports are to be believed and Matic is unhappy at the club and wants out; that simply means he will have to leave the Blues.
Large Fee
Whilst many Chelsea fans may have forgotten how good Matic is; the good news is that the rest of the footballing world certainly hasn’t.
What this means is that the club can look to pick up a hefty profit on the £21 million that they spent on the Serbian several years ago, with his market value at this point surely must top £35 million.
By keeping hold of Matic, the club will also run the risk of his market value dropping, should he have another bad season.
Chelsea have been linked with a number of players this summer as potential replacements, and could look to pick someone up for less than they would be able to sell Matic for; whilst also improving the squad.
Alternatives
A name that has been bandied about recently has been N’Golo Kante, who has been linked with a £20 million move; which would likely mean they would have between £15-20 million on top of that from the Matic Sale that they could spend elsewhere.
Elsewhere, incoming boss Conte is reportedly also interested in Radja Naingglogan, who will likely cost them around the £30-40 million mark.
If Chelsea were to sign one of these players whilst selling Matic, they would likely still end up with a positive net spend; whilst also improving the overall quality of the squad.
With the lack of funds stemming from Champions League football next season; this could be crucial.
