Transfer Rumors: Mourinho To Reclaim His Former Star From Manchester United

Jose Mourinho might have already been busy working on his first day as the new manager of AS Roma.

On Tuesday, Roma announced the appointing of Mourinho as the club’s new head coach.

Ahead of debut, the former Tottenham Hotspur boss is already linked to a transfer raid involving his former player Nemanja Matic of Manchester United, according to various reports from Italy, including Football Italia.

The Serie A club, through Mourinho’s advice, has already reached out to Manchester United for the possible transfer of Matic to Roma, the report said.

Eleven years after he left Inter Milan, the award-winning coach is planning to reunite with the Siberian midfielder at Roma at the end of the season, the report added.

Matic, a veteran midfielder, played under Mourinho during the Portuguese’s time with Chelsea and Manchester United.

Mourinho and Matic won the English Premier League title with the Blues in 2015, and if reports are to be true, the former is looking make a huge impact at Roma with the 32-year-old included in his plans.

Heading into the 2020-21 season, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has raved about Matic’s fine form.

According to Solskjaer, the Red Devils team are pleased to have “the best” version of Matic this season.

“Nemanja [Matic] is playing some of his best football,” Solskjaer told Manchester United’s official website last year. “He’s had a good pre-season for the first time in many, many years ”

“I’m very, very happy that we’re seeing the best of Nemanja and he’ll be important for us, and then of course, it’s down to performances and if Nemanja wants to stay but at the moment he’s in great form,” he added.

However, the emergence of a handful of attackers this season saw Matic struggling for playing time under Solskjaer, having been featured in only 16 league appearances to date.

Matic left Chelsea in 2017 for Manchester United, and last year, his deal with the club was extended until 2021.

His current contract is set to expire in the summer of 2023, but the Red Devils are yet to drop a hint at an interest to deal the veteran to Roma.

Roma, on the other hand, has vowed to back Mourinho as the renowned manager will become an integral part of the team’s “ambitious project.”

“A great champion who has won trophies at every level, Jose will provide tremendous leadership and experience to our ambitious project,” Roma president Dan Friedkin and vice-president Ryan Friedkin said in a joint statement on the club’s official website.

“The appointment of Jose is a huge step in building a long-term and consistent winning culture throughout the club.”