Nemanja Matic Unsure If He'll Stay at Manchester United Beyond This Season

Nemanja Matic has hinted his time at Manchester United could be drawing to a close, saying he doesn't "really know" if his contract will be extended beyond its expiration date this summer. 

Serbia international Matic, 31, has a contract at Old Trafford until June, with the option of an additional year should parties agree to trigger a clause in his deal.

However, Matic told Telegraf (h/t Goal's Chris Burton) he was uncertain whether his and United's future plans would sync up after barely featuring for the club this season:

"I don't know what to say. I have a contract for another six months, we'll see in January what's going to happen. 

"Will I extend the contract or try to find something else?

"United have some option to extend my contract, but we will see if the plans of the club match my plans. I couldn't say anything more because I don't really know either."

The former Chelsea and Benfica star has made seven appearances in all competitions (610 total minutes) and only three Premier League starts, sitting out much of the campaign with an unspecified injury.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer brought Matic back into his XI for Saturday's 2-0 win over Burnley following an absence of more than two months in the top flight.

Matic played under Jose Mourinho at both United and Chelsea, and he didn't rule out the possibility of linking up with the now-Tottenham Hotspur chief at a second London club:

AS and Gianluca Di Marzio (h/t Football Espana) each reported the Serb is a target for Atletico Madrid, who could sign him for free in the event he leaves Old Trafford in the summer.

United could seek to trigger the clause in his contract and extend his deal for one year with the sole purpose of maximising profit from his departure.

Scott McTominay has become an important part of the midfield at United this season, while Solskjaer appears to prefer options such as Fred, Andreas Pereira and Jesse Lingard.

Matic has scored three goals in 95 appearances for the Red Devils. All three of those strikes came in 2018, the pick of the bunch being a 3-2 injury-time winner over Crystal Palace in March of that year:

The Serb joined United from Chelsea in July 2017 for a reported £40 million, but it's understandable he would consider his options elsewhere considering his diminishing importance at Old Trafford.

Matic has never been highly regarded for his attacking prowess, and United's switch to focus on a swift counter under Solskjaer suggests there may be no place for him in the manager's plans.