Nemanja Matic has reportedly agreed on a contract extension with Manchester United and will stay at the club come next summer. Matic, who joined United from Chelsea in 2017, was expected to leave the club next season and his days at United looked numbered as long as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was at the helm at Old Trafford. Matic’s current contract runs down in the summer and although the club had the option of triggering a 12-month extension, there were no signs that it could happen. But the Serbian has now completed a remarkable turnaround and is currently one of the first-team regulars at the club. United boss Solskjaer also confirmed that the club has agreed on a deal with Matic and he “will 100% stay.” Emre Can Reveals He Rejected Manchester United for a January Transfer to Borussia Dortmund from Juventus.

Matic joined United under previous manager Jose Mourinho and had signed a two-year contract. But with Mourinho getting sacked mid-season last year and with Matic losing his place in the playing XI under Solskjaer, Matic looked certain to leave the club. He was reportedly ready to leave last summer as well as in the January transfer window as he struggled for form and fitness under the new manager. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Feels Fans’ Love as Manchester United Complete Derby Double Over Manchester City.

But Matic was reintroduced into the first team following Scott Mctominay’s Achilles tendon injury and he has since re-established himself as a first-team regular. Matic’s resurgence at United has also coincided with the club’s good run. United are currently on a run of 10 unbeaten games across all competitions and beat Manchester City 2-0 at Old Trafford thanks to a well-worked out goal by Anthony Martial and an extra-time screamer by Scott McTominay.

“He will stay here, yeah, 100 per cent – we have agreed it with him,” Solskjaer confirmed at the pre-match conference ahead of the Manchester derby against Pep Guardiola’s City. Matic was part of the playing XI that beat City 2-0 and put up a defensive master class in midfield alongside Fred. The new of Matic’s contract extension should come as good news to the fans, who wanted to see out one of Mourinho’s players. But the Serbian has divided opinions with his performance in recent times.

Things, however, looked different in January when Matic admitted that there was no talks about a contract extension with the club “I’ve got a contract until the end of the season. We will see. I’m at Carrington every day open to talk if they think I can help. If not, life will go on. For sure, there is always a solution. Of course [I want to stay]. It’s a pleasure to represent this club for me. I came here to win and if they want me to stay then, of course, I’ll give my best to win trophies,” Matic was quoted as saying by The Sun.

But as things stand, Matic looks to be closer towards agreeing to a deal especially after Solskjaer’s admission that both parties are in talks. Meanwhile, Manchester United remained in close contention for Champions League football next season.

United, who completed their first league double over City in a decade, are currently seated at fifth – enough to give them Champions League football next season with Manchester City suspended from Europe for two years for breaching FFP regulations – just three points off Chelsea in the Premier League points table and five off Leicester City.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 09, 2020 04:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).