Atletico ready to pounce despite strong claims on Man Utd star’s future

Atletico Madrid continue to lurk behind the scenes and are reportedly ready to offer Nemanja Matic an escape from Manchester United should the midfielder reject their offer of a new deal.

The 31-year-old has been crucial to United in the last few months with Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba missing through injury.

Matic has started nine of the last 10 Premier League games and has look revitalised after seemingly looking like his Old Trafford career was done.

It has been a remarkable turn of fortune for the Serbia international, and while he is yet to sign the deal, Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed a new contract deal has been verbally agreed.

Solskjaer said: “He will stay here. Yeah, 100 per cent. We have agreed with him so he will stay.”

Matic is out of contract in the summer and free to speak to foreign teams about a free-transfer move in the summer and there remains a growing confidence that a new deal with United will be announced this week.

And while the contract remains unsigned, reports in Spain claim Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid continue to lurk in the background as a genuine transfer option for the player.

As per Fichajes, Atletico boss Simeone is a huge admirer of the player and is ready to match United’s offer of a two-year deal to bring the 31-year-old to the Wanda Metropolitano, where they believe his prospects of first-team football would be far greater.

The Spanish outlet claims Simeone has made it clear that Matic’s qualities would be greatly suited to Atleti’s style and the Serbian would be a welcome addition to their ranks should he opt for a fresh challenge at this, the autumn of his career.

 

 

And while United currently hold all the aces in terms of keeping Matic, the presence of the LaLiga side will continue to hover until the ink is dry on the midfielder’s new deal.

Matic could find his place coming under threat again in the closing weeks of the season with McTominay closing on full fitness and stepping off the bench to score against Manchester City on Sunday.

United, meanwhile, could have new reason to fear Pogba will be on the move this summer after his brother made clear where he sees his sibling playing his football next season.