Nemanja Matic

[José Mateus 46]

Whether he's better than Witsel or not is subjective. They're both really good players playing similar but different positions.I was one of the Benfica fans who were terrified going into last season losing both Javi Garcia and Witsel without buying replacements and thinking "we're going to get overrun in the centre of the park". But I'll tell you, I have never heard any Benfica fan say we would've had a better game or we would've won that game if we had Witsel instead of Matic. Matic made Benfica fans forget Witsel almost instantly so that says enough I think.

Matic + Perez >> Javi + Witsel

[Sheva. 5,373]

The only good "vs video" of him on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPMjGpH6zU0

Check the pass at 2:20.

[Korea 734]

Last season final, all I remember was Luiz being completely useless vs benfica.

Also, benfica being the better team, yet us winning...

[sutro 1,026]

So when does he have his medical @ spurs?

[Mouri_Matic 560]

Anyone here know Portuguese or that financial site that Portuguese clubs have to post details on before any deal? Would tell us exactly how much Matic costs, ending the debate once and for all.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Last season final, all I remember was Luiz being completely useless vs benfica.

Also, benfica being the better team, yet us winning...

It was like the Bayern game all over again.

Benfica had/have an impressive team tbf to them, their forwards always made good runs and decisions with the ball - just couldn't finish.

[Pizy 18,368]

Must be one loooong medical. Is there a long line at White Hart Lane?

[pachman40 357]

Matic for the reported 25M euros + two players can potentially be a fantastic value, but I'll reserve judgement until we find out who the two players are, whether they're on loan or permanent moves, and whether there's a buy-back on either of them. Until those factors are known, nobody can determine in good faith if it was a good or bad deal.

A couple of things to mention, and I'll try not to bore everyone with detail after detail about Benfica's side of this deal because that doesn't concern fans on a Chelsea forum, but I'd like to add some perspective to the discussion... Benfica's financial distress has been overstated here and in the British media. Yes, Benfica are a selling club, that is no secret, yes Benfica didn't qualify for the knockouts in the Champion's League, yes that means there is a shortfall to their revenue projections. Does that mean there is a crisis? No. Did the elimination mean that Benfica are more will to sell and would be less rigid in their negotiations? I think that's fair. But, Benfica have other players that have high transfer values and are desired in the current market so they didn't NEED to cash in on Matic right now. Bottom line is that the rumoured transfer value for Matic is a fair amount that is still fantastic business for Benfica, but I don't think they would've settled for that amount AND sold him in January if they weren't eliminated from the CL already.

The other thing that people here may consider keeping tabs on, is that Benfica already bought Matic's replacement last summer. Fejsa has the potential to make Benfica fans forget about Matic the way Mtaic made us forget about Witsel. That also made the decision to sell Matic a little easier.

There are a few other things I'd like to mention if I had more time, but in the end (depending on the circumstances of the two throw-in players) this looks like a win-win for both teams and what's wrong with that? Go Chelsea!!!!!!!!

[Waterfall 893]

The only good "vs video" of him on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPMjGpH6zU0

Check the pass at 2:20.

Isn't it the only "vs video" of him?

I wish someone could make one of his play against Porto. I watched the entire game, but a lot of times I wasn't sure who I was looking at cause my stream was LQ.

[pachman40 357]

Matic + Perez >> Javi + Witsel

Absolutely agree 100%

[Mouri_Matic 560]

Matic for the reported 25M euros + two players can potentially be a fantastic value, but I'll reserve judgement until we find out who the two players are, whether they're on loan or permanent moves, and whether there's a buy-back on either of them. Until those factors are known, nobody can determine in good faith if it was a good or bad deal.

A couple of things to mention, and I'll try not to bore everyone with detail after detail about Benfica's side of this deal because that doesn't concern fans on a Chelsea forum, but I'd like to add some perspective to the discussion... Benfica's financial distress has been overstated here and in the British media. Yes, Benfica are a selling club, that is no secret, yes Benfica didn't qualify for the knockouts in the Champion's League, yes that means there is a shortfall to their revenue projections. Does that mean there is a crisis? No. Did the elimination mean that Benfica are more will to sell and would be less rigid in their negotiations? I think that's fair. But, Benfica have other players that have high transfer values and are desired in the current market so they didn't NEED to cash in on Matic right now. Bottom line is that the rumoured transfer value for Matic is a fair amount that is still fantastic business for Benfica, but I don't think they would've settled for that amount AND sold him in January if they weren't eliminated from the CL already.

The other thing that people here may consider keeping tabs on, is that Benfica already bought Matic's replacement last summer. Fejsa has the potential to make Benfica fans forget about Matic the way Mtaic made us forget about Witsel. That also made the decision to sell Matic a little easier.

There are a few other things I'd like to mention if I had more time, but in the end (depending on the circumstances of the two throw-in players) this looks like a win-win for both teams and what's wrong with that? Go Chelsea!!!!!!!!

Do you know Portuguese or that financial site that Portuguese clubs have to post details on before any deal? Would tell us exactly how much Matic costs, ending the debate once and for all.

[SinineUltra 1,170]

Very fond of this transfer - what I remember about his times at Chelsea is that he didn't get much play time though when he did come on he was very confident. Would add some steel to our midfield. He seems like a Yaya Toure like player with a bit more aggressivness in his play.

[pachman40 357]

Different players.

Matic impact on our gameplay surpassed Witsel's. I'm not saying he is the best player, but was definitely more useful to us.

While Witsel always had the look of a great player, he never quite achieved his potential while playing for us... Matic... well... he was a beast.

Matic was the best player I saw playing for us. Better than Di Maria, David Luiz, Coentrao, Witsel etc.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, I think saying he's the best you saw playing for us is a little over the top, I don't want to raise the expectations here to unrealistic levels. Matic was fantastic for us, but I would take Rui Costa on the downhill side of his career any day over Matic. Aside from that, I think we can agree we just sold a hell of a player.

[Special Juan 27,421]

Anyone here know Portuguese or that financial site that Portuguese clubs have to post details on before any deal? Would tell us exactly how much Matic costs, ending the debate once and for all.

http://web3.cmvm.pt/sdi2004/emitentes/ultimas_comunicacoes.cfm?num_ent=%25%23%24CZ%22]X%20%0A

[Sheva. 5,373]

Isn't it the only "vs video" of him?

I wish someone could make one of his play against Porto. I watched the entire game, but a lot of times I wasn't sure who I was looking at cause my stream was LQ.

There's another one of him vs Sao Paulo. But not sure it was a meaningful game, and also the camera angle is high and hard to know who's on the ball.

[pachman40 357]

Anyone here know Portuguese or that financial site that Portuguese clubs have to post details on before any deal? Would tell us exactly how much Matic costs, ending the debate once and for all.

CMVM is the portuguese stock exchange, but its a little hard to navigate for people searching for what you're looking for. Guaranteed ABola and Record are checking every 5 seconds and will post it immediately when its reported to the CMVM so might as well check those two portuguese soccer sites instead.

[ChelseaFanUK 1,014]

Anyone here know Portuguese or that financial site that Portuguese clubs have to post details on before any deal? Would tell us exactly how much Matic costs, ending the debate once and for all.

http://www.cmvm.pt/en/Pages/default.aspx

I dont know which sub menu it is though

[Mouri_Matic 560]

http://web3.cmvm.pt/sdi2004/emitentes/ultimas_comunicacoes.cfm?num_ent=%25%23%24CZ%22]X%20%0A

That is Porto isn't it?

http://www.cmvm.pt/en/Pages/default.aspx

I dont know which sub menu it is though

Yeah I got that site too, don't know which is the Benfica page. If anyone could read Portuguese and post the link to Benfica, we would just need that link