With Benfica midfielder Nemanja Matic undergoing a medical at Chelsea, we look at what he will add to the Blues.
Jose Mourinho has decided to bring Nemanja Matic back to Chelsea for a second spell at the Stamford Bridge.
Spending £22m on a defensive midfielder is a big price to pay but, as always, the Special One has a plan in mind.
Matic was originally a makeweight in the David Luiz transfer after impressing on loan at Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem, but he was always highly rated at the Blues.
He is best described as a box-to-box midfielder, but has all the necessary traits and skills to perform other roles. The Serbia international is no stranger to getting forward and setting up goals nor becoming a midfield enforcer and breaking up opposition play.
The 26-year-old is good in the air, possesses a thunderous shot and has the ability to glide past opponents with a short burst of speed.
The big question is, how will Nemanja Matic fit into Mourinho’s Chelsea side?
Mourinho normally likes to set up with a 4-2-3-1 system but also switches to a very fluid 4-3-3 formation when attacking.
He has essentially earmarked Matic as the player to replace the ageing Chelsea legend Frank Lampard. Not only will Matic take over the box-to-box all-round midfielder role, he will also become a key cog in the 4-3-3 formation, which Mourinho will employ more often now that he has the right personnel for it.
Expect to see Matic deployed in a similar role to that Lampard assumed during Mourinho’s first reign at Stamford Bridge.
Matic will most likely be joined by Ramires or Jon Obi Mikel, with one of the two anchoring the midfield during Chelsea attacks. Oscar, in the other midfield slot, would have licence to get forward.
This will let the array of attacking talent at Mourinho’s get forward on the wings and support Fernando Torres or Samuel Eto’o.
Blues fans will remember how quickly Chelsea switched from defence to attack in Mourinho’s first spell at Chelsea, often creating a 4 vs 4 or 4 vs 3 situation as their wingers and striker rushed forward on the counter. Frank Lampard could be relied upon to arrive late into the box, willing to latch onto any pull-back. This tactic is likely to make a comeback.
When Mourinho chooses to play 4-2-3-1, Matic will be expected to sit next to Lampard, Ramires or Mikel in midfield.
Of course, he always rotates his players and will use Matic in different matches, but he is set to become a central figure in Mourinho’s plans, especially with Lampard nearing retirement and question marks over Marco van Ginkel’s form when he returns from injury.
