Scouting Rumoured Chelsea Transfer Target Nemanja Matic of Benfica

Nearly four years ago, Chelsea paid £1.5 million for midfield prospect Nemanja Matic, who had helped MFK Kosice win the Slovakian Cup that spring.

A month later he would suffer a metatarsal injury while on duty with Serbia at the European U-21 Championship—a setback that would prevent him from cracking the Blues’ squad ahead of the Premier League campaign and keep him on the outskirts of the first team the entire season.

Matic was loaned to Dutch side Vitesse the following summer, but in January 2011 he moved permanently to Benfica as a makeweight in the £21 million deal that brought David Luiz to Stamford Bridge.

Now Chelsea want him back, and they’re willing to pay a significant fee to repatriate him.

Matic, who played 39 matches in all competitions for Benfica last season, including eight in the Europa League as the Portuguese giants progressed all the way to the final, has an astronomical £42.4 million release clause written into his contract.

While his club would be willing to part with him for less than that they are still holding out for upwards of £38 million in compensation, as reported by David Woods of the Daily Star.

What they would be getting, or getting back, is a 24-year-old defensive midfielder who thrives on disrupting the opposition buildup and can both play a decent pass and pose the occasional threat from distance when in possession.

A selfless player, he would be an ideal partner for either Frank Lampard or Ramires in the centre of the park, although his arrival would surely signal a reduction in playing time for John Obi Mikel and another season on loan for Josh McEachran.

As reported by Charles Perrin of the Express, Manchester United and Monaco have also been linked with Matic, although at this point Benfica are under no pressure to sell—thus the asking price.

There’s no disputing this player’s ability, and at 6'4" the lanky destroyer would be a fine addition to most midfields, let alone Chelsea’s.

What the Blues have to consider is whether they wish to continue experimenting with David Luiz in the centre of the park and whether they’ve given up on McEachran.

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