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Nemanja Matic has reunited with Jose Mourinho at Roma following his departure from Manchester United, signing on a free transfer with the Serie A side.
The 33-year-old has penned a one-year deal in the Italian capital, joining former United team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan and ex-Chelsea colleague Tammy Abraham at the Stadio Olimpico.
The Serbia international confirmed last season that it would be his last at Old Trafford, having spent five years in Manchester, and has been signed by Mourinho for the third time in his career.
“I am pleased and honoured to be joining this club and I cannot wait to start the new season with my team-mates,” Matic said.
“Roma is a big club, with amazing fans and a coach, Jose Mourinho, who is well known to everyone – making the decision to come here very straightforward.
“I hope that by working together we are able to achieve some great things.”
In 2014, following three years in Portugal, Matic re-signed for Chelsea during Mourinho’s second stint at Stamford Bridge and, three years later, followed the Portuguese boss to United and was a regular fixture in the first team throughout the managerial spells of Louis van Gaal and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
United paid Chelsea £40million for his services five years ago and he made 189 appearances across all competitions for the club, while being part of the side that finished as runners-up in the FA Cup in 2017-18 and the Europa League in 2020-21.
Matic’s eight-year stint within English football yielded better success in his three years with Chelsea, where he won two Premier League titles to add to the FA Cup trophy he picked up in his first spell with the Blues.
He completes Mourinho’s first piece of transfer activity ahead of the 2022-23 season, following on the back of the club’s triumph in the Europa Conference League.
His departure from United comes amid a mass exodus of players who have had their contract expire, with Jesse Lingard, Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Lee Grant and Edinson Cavani also having their exits confirmed by the club.
