Nemanja Matic

[Jase 43,479]

Benfica play Porto tonight. Let's see what happens then with Matic...

@https://twitter.com/_GoncaloLopes/status/422277859450032128

@https://twitter.com/_GoncaloLopes/status/422278068636766208

@https://twitter.com/_GoncaloLopes/status/422278482799108096

I despise twitter ITK's and transfer rumours in general because of the fact 90% of it is completely conjured up out of thin air but this man is usually pretty reliable. Seems Mou wants him.

EDIT: How do you embed tweets?

Don't think you can do that. Either have to take a screenshot or copy and paste the tweets into here.

[BOSS 372]

Chelsea want midfielder Nemanja Matic to return from Benfica for £21m

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/10565919/Chelsea-want-midfielder-Nemanja-Matic-to-return-from-Benfica-for-21m.html

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

PLEASE BE TRUE!

[Tomo 21,733]

mourinho and benitez beg to differ on DL's worth as a DM.

Luiz in midfield is a stickly plaster option just like Essien in defence was, Rafa and Jose are only doing it due to lack off options.

If we sign Matic and MVG makes a return sooner rather than later the only way David is going back in the only pivot is if we have a stupid injury crisis.

[zyzz 711]

It will be interesting to see whether he plays today v porto

[Pacquiao 1,834]

If he does sign on Tuesday he will start against United on Sunday! He is the perfect player to play alongside Ramires!

[Pacquiao 1,834]

It will be interesting to see whether he plays today v porto

He hasn't travelled with the team apparently. and he refused to train with Benfica last night.

[Strike 7,217]

mourinho and benitez beg to differ on DL's worth as a DM.

think Mikel would have started yesterday if he had trained on Friday

[Special Juan 27,428]

He hasn't travelled with the team apparently. and he refused to train with Benfica last night.

Interesting.

[LondonPride1905 236]

There are reports that Nemanja Matic won't play for Benfica against Porto today amid claims the midfielder is close to rejoining Chelsea. Matic had also been linked with Manchester United, but reports in Serbia suggest the player could be back at Stamford Bridge by Tuesday.

Just read this on SSN. [Rumour]

So, I am expecting the De Bruyne - Matic substitution soon enough.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

If we buy matic, we won't buy in this position again for 4years.

Its worth the 25mil

[The only place to be 11,313]

So he's refusing to play against Porto? That's a massive match for them and if it's true then he's not messing around. Hopefully it's more a case of the move being so close that he's looking out for himself so as not to compromise a move.

Personally I objected to this move on the grounds that re-signing players we've let go for about ten times more money made us look like mugs. But he's a fantastically talented and rather unique player, and I remembered I don't really give a fuck what other fans think about us. We're turning a nice profit in the De Bruyne deal and so many other young players have really exploded in value for us that this deal really isn't the beginning of a trend for us.

Hopefully this is the beginning of the end for the Pivot problems for us. I for one won't miss that and once you've got a stable presence in that position (this guy alongside Oscar might be part of our new spine for some time) then you can start experimenting with younger players alongside him. As much as we love Ramires, he's not the type of player you can chuck a Chalobah in next to. If Matic can make that position his going into next season then that gives us a lot of room to try different things in midfield and also in defence.

He's a great age (he's also 4 years younger than Makelele was when he signed, if you want to set the bar really high), he'll improve our team both in the short-term and into the future and if he does become the player we're all hoping he does then he's not actually that expensive (comparisons would be Toure and Martinez who were both more expensive in all likelihood, and if you want a good laugh then Fellaini is probably more expensive too).

[Strike 7,217]

He's a great age (he's also 4 years younger than Makelele was when he signed, if you want to set the bar really high), he'll improve our team both in the short-term and into the future and if he does become the player we're all hoping he does then he's not actually that expensive (comparisons would be Toure and Martinez who were both more expensive in all likelihood, and if you want a good laugh then Fellaini is probably more expensive too).

it may make us look like mugs but it isn't that big of a deal really especially if he settles in quickly

[De_ChrapQaa 192]

Who cares how we will look, he's quality and would fit perfectly, and that matters if you ask me.

[drog.ba 239]

Is he refusing to play or are they just not playing him as the deal is close?

Not sure I'm bothered by us re-signing someone for far more then we sold them, he's massively improved and the best available option. Although I don't want him to leave, selling De Bruyne for £18m and Matic for £21m would be good business and give us a much more balanced squad. Just got to hope Matic doesn't flop and De Bruyne doesn't become the next Ronaldo.

[Toli 977]

According to Record we are close to get him

http://www.record.xl.pt/Futebol/Nacional/1a_liga/Benfica/interior_premium.aspx?content_id=862451

if we pay anything over 20 m would be clearly overpaying on this player. dont even know why this board is so eager to get him. he is a little bit better than Mikel in terms of offensive-play, but nowhere near what we need. We need a DLP, not another B2B type of player or a destroyer (depends on how you categorize Matic)

[laeth 527]

According to Record we are close to get him

http://www.record.xl.pt/Futebol/Nacional/1a_liga/Benfica/interior_premium.aspx?content_id=862451

if we pay anything over 20 m would be clearly overpaying on this player. dont even know why this board is so eager to get him. he is a little bit better than Mikel in terms of offensive-play, but nowhere near what we need. We need a DLP, not another B2B type of player or a destroyer (depends on how you categorize Matic)

We don't need a playmaker (we've got three of those behind the striker), we need a really good all-rounder who can move the ball forward quicker than our current players, so that said three behind the striker have more time and space to do their thing.

[Toli 977]

We don't need a playmaker (we've got three of those behind the striker), we need a really good all-rounder who can move the ball forward quicker than our current players, so that said three behind the striker have more time and space to do their thing.

we need someone who build up fom behind. its evident. dont you see how our pivot isnt able to build-up decently if they are getting pressured? its our biggest problem since ages. Matic is a better version of Mikel and I dont think a better version of Mikel will make our problems in the pivot dissapear. especially if the 35 m quoted are true. that would be madness. even the 21 m pounds are a lot for Matic.