Juventus have just sold Paul Pogba to Manchester United for a casual £89 million, and it is believed the Old Lady consider Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic as the ideal replacement for the French lynchpin.
Matic brilliantly anchored during Chelsea’s title triumph in 2014/15 but was one of the many players whose fizz went flat when it mattered last campaign. Guus Hiddink calmed the waters at Stamford Bridge and whilst many players did actually improve under the 69-year-old, Matic was often overlooked by Hiddink for Jon Obi Mikel.
Antonio Conte has already publicly expressed his desire for Matic to stay at Stamford Bridge. The Italian was full of praise for the Serbian in pre-season, and insisted his player was not for sale: “I know with work he can become a fantastic midfielder, one of the best in the world,” per Matt Barlow of the Daily Mail. “He is not for sale.”
Matic revealed in late July that Conte had given him a “special feeling” but didn’t say whether he would definitely be playing his football in England this season or not. In the latest chapter of this saga, Chelsea and Matic were set for talks on Tuesday but that meeting was postponed with the players handed two days off after pre-season.
Di Marzio thinks that this could be bad news for Juventus as it might be perceived as a forewarning that Chelsea have no interest in selling their man.
Simone Zaza could prove as a makeweight, with Juve hoping that the Italian No.9 included in the deal could be enough to force Chelsea’s hand to sell Matic. Wolfsburg have bid £21 million for Zaza, but the player is increasingly unconvinced by a move to Germany and instead would like to work again with Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge if the opportunity arises.
