Serie A: Nemanja Matic to reunite with Jose Mourinho after signing for AS Roma
Jun 14, 2022
Rome [Italy], June 14 : Serie A club AS Roma on Tuesday confirmed the signing of Nemanja Matic.
Matic, 33, has put pen-to-paper on a one-year contract with the Giallorossi that runs until June 2023.
This will be the third time Matic has worked alongside coach Jose Mourinho, after the two enjoyed spells at both Chelsea and subsequently, Manchester United.
"I am pleased and honoured to be joining this club and I cannot wait to start the new season with my teammates," Matic said in a statement.
"Roma is a big club, with amazing fans and a coach, Jose Mourinho, who is well known to everyone - making the decision to come here very straightforward. I hope that by working together we are able to achieve some great things."
A full Serbia international who represented his country at the 2018 World Cup, Matic is a three-time Premier League winner who has spent the past five seasons at Manchester United.
The central midfielder has previously represented Chelsea and Benfica, among others, and also counts the three Portuguese domestic titles among the many trophies he has won.
"Nemanja brings with him to Roma not just a lot of quality on the pitch, but the vast experience he has gained from so many seasons in the Premier League and a focus and mentality that has consistently set him apart throughout his career," said Tiago Pinto, the club's General Manager.
"The enthusiasm he showed at the prospect of joining our project was hugely encouraging and I am sure that will serve as a starting point for a very productive journey for all of us."
Matic has opted to wear the No. 21 shirt for the club.
Three other Serbian players have represented Roma prior to Matic: Ivan Tomic (1998-2003), Adem Ljajic (2013-15) and Aleksandar Kolarov (2017-2020).
Sinisa Mihajlovic (1992-1994) and Aleksandar Arangelovich (1949-1950) would also be considered Serbian by modern definitions, but at the time played under the Yugoslavia flag.
