How much longer does Nemanja Matic have left at Chelsea?

Nemanja Matic has been a fixture in Chelsea’s lineup since the club re-signed him in December 2015. His second tour at the club, though, could be coming to an end.

Chelsea, chasing a title in Jose Mourinho’s first season back, desperately needed a brick wall in midfield. The club needed someone to protect the back four and help control the midfield. Mourinho had tried every conceivable combination together that year to shore up the middle of his formations. He even went so far as fielding Kurt Zouma and David Luiz in an unnatural position to help plaster the leaky holes.

Nemanja Matic made an instant impact in his first Premier League start against Manchester City. Billed as the game of the season, Jose Mourinho pulled off one of his tactical masterclass in guiding Chelsea to a 1-0 win.

Matic stood out for how he carried himself around the pitch. In a man of the match display, the Serb bossed the midfield, broke down attacks and, most importantly, absolutely dominated Yaya Toure. Matic was one of the few midfielders who refused to allow Toure to bully him physically.

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His performances continued to justify Chelsea’s decision to bring him back. Matic became a steady presence in front of Chelsea’s back four. With Cesc Fabregas free to create beside him, Chelsea thrived next season to bulldoze their way into a title.

Unfortunately, Matic was absolutely exposed throughout 2015/16. The midfielder who was a wall protecting Chelsea’s back four was a shadow of himself the next season. He ended the year as one of the most underperforming Blues.

His Chelsea career was further in doubt with Mourinho courting him from Manchester and interest from Juventus. Reports suggested Matic was willing to join his former manager.

Antonio Conte apparently blocked the move and formed a defensively formidable pair of Nemanja Matic and N’Golo Kante in the middle of the pitch. That pairing helped bring Chelsea another title in record-breaking fashion, with Matic’s form even keeping Fabregas out of the lineup.

Despite his form, rumours linking him away from west London remained. Many people started asking: is Matic really indispensable at Chelsea?

Matic is a defensive force to be reckoned with. When he breaks up attacking plays at the middle he can render otherwise strong teams invisible. The other end of the field, though, is where the concerns lie.

Matic can not dribble past most players. He is minimally creative. He is a slow decision maker and  -aside from scoring one or two belters from distance in a season – does not provide much to team going forward.

Chelsea already have a defensive force in N’golo Kante. At times this season they struggled without a creative spark like Cesc Fabregas in the game. Despite the fact that Matic has been a crucial factor in Chelsea winning their last two titles, an upgrade can always be found in the market.

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Chelsea should not gift wrap Nemanja Matic to Jose Mourinho. But if a suitable offer comes from abroad and Matic is ready to leave Stamford Bridge, they should definitely look to move the big Serb. There is no reason keeping an unhappy player on the books, particularly when Chelsea can replace him with a more complete option.