Transfer Talk: Where next for experienced midfielder Matic?

Nemanja Matic is one of several Manchester United players who will be on the lookout for a new club this summer.

The 33-year-old has agreed to terminate his contract a year early, ending a five-season spell with the Red Devils.

It seems the experienced central midfielder will not be short of options for his next move as his agent is said to be negotiating with a number of teams in England and across Europe.

We take a look at where the Serbia international could head next.

Remain in the Premier League

Having spent a combined 10 years in England during two spells at Chelsea and his time with United, Matic may want to prolong his Premier League career a little longer.

If that is the case, it looks like newly-promoted Fulham will be his best bet for regular football in a move which would see him return to familiar surroundings in West London.

The Cottagers suffered an immediate drop down to the Championship in their last two top-flight campaigns and will want to avoid suffering the same fate this time around.

Having racked up 251 appearances in England’s top division, the experience and know-how Matic brings could make him a priceless addition to Marco Silva’s men.

And while the two-time Premier League winner is more used to challenging at the top rather than what will likely be a relegation battle, there is nothing to suggest the tough-tackling midfielder will not handle the adjustment.

Return to Portugal

A return to Portugal with Benfica — where he spent 2½ years between spells at Chelsea — is also said to be on the cards.

Again, that move would see him return to familiar surroundings and to a club he won his first league title with during the 2013-14 season.

Matic has credited the Eagles with playing a key role in his development as a player and says they are a team close to his heart.

Ahead of facing them in 2017, he said: “It’s a special club, a club that I love. At Benfica, I learnt a lot about football and about the pressure of playing for a big club, because they are one of the best clubs in Europe.

“I will support them for the rest of my life and they will have a special place in my heart.”

The potential for Champions League football is another positive for the Lisbon outfit, with Nelson Verissimo’s side impressively reaching the quarter-finals of last season’s competition.

Reunion with Mourinho

Having signed him for both Chelsea and United, could Jose Mourinho snap up Matic for a third time with Europa Conference League winners Roma?

He would not be the only former Red Devil playing for the Giallorossi, with Chris Smalling and Henrikh Mkhitaryan both key performers under the Portuguese boss.

Matic is known to be a player Mourinho trusts and the Special One has already been asked about the possibility of another reunion.

He said: “I never like to speak about players. I don’t think it’s good for me, the club, the players. Everybody knows my relationship with Nemanja. He’s one of the guys with my trust.

“We won together, we fought together in United too. He’s a fantastic player, but that’s the kind of answer that is not good for me or for the player.”

Roma missing out on Champions League football could put them at a disadvantage but the prospect of working with a manager who knows how to get the best out of him could be too good to turn down.

Elsewhere in Serie A

A blow for Roma is that the two clubs who beat them to Champions League football — Napoli and Juventus — are also said to be in the running for Matic.

Having never played in Italy during his career, there is every chance the 33-year-old may fancy a new challenge before he hangs up his boots.

Midfield is an area of concern for Max Allegri’s Juve, though Lazio talisman and Matic’s Serbia team-mate Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is believed to be their No1 choice.

Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz continues to be linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs and in the event of them losing the Spaniard, a free move for Matic could soften the blow.

After managing just 16 league starts in a struggling United team last term, it may be that Serie A’s slower pace compared to the Premier League could be more suited to the deep-lying midfielder.

Destination

After a season spent on the periphery of United’s starting XI, Matic may still feel he has something to prove at Premier League level.

Helping Fulham avoid relegation as a key player would go some way to bolstering his reputation, but the prospect of playing at a much higher level abroad may force him to lean in those clubs’ direction.

The three Serie A sides would allow him to do that in one of Europe’s top leagues and he may therefore consider Benfica a step down in comparison.

Napoli and Juve would both be excellent moves for the 42-cap international, though it remains to be seen how serious their interest is.