Chelsea said goodbye to a great servant of the club today for a second time as Nemanja Matić officially joined rivals Manchester United on a permanent transfer. The Serbian joined the club in 2009 before leaving for Benfica in 2011. There he really made his name known and returned to Stamford Bridge in 2014 to become a vital cog in Mourinho’s and then later Conte’s Blue machine as one of the best central midfielders in the Premier League. He leaves the club having won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup (under Ancelotti), and a League Cup.
The club’s digital media department put together a great look back on his Chelsea career (see above or click here), which should be appreciated as he was often the linchpin of the midfield. It may be a bitter pill to swallow to see him (want to) join United, but at least Chelsea made sure to receive appropriate compensation.
Good luck (except against Chelsea), Nemanja!