Matic signs for Chelsea
Chelsea Football Club have today completed the signing of Nemanja Matic from Benfica.
On signing his five-and-a-half-year contract, the
25-year-old said: 'I am very happy for this opportunity to be back at
this club. I feel very good because of that and just want to say I will
give my best to help the team and make the Chelsea fans happy.'
Jose Mourinho
added: 'I am very pleased that Nemanja is returning to Chelsea. He has
grown as a player in Portugal and has become a fantastic all-round
midfielder. I am sure he will become a very important member of the
squad and help us to achieve our ambitions.'
The Serbian midfielder, who will wear the number
21 shirt, returns for a second spell at Stamford Bridge, having
previously represented the Blues after joining from MSK Kosice in 2009.
He made three substitute appearances in the 2009/10 season and departed
in January 2011 as part of the deal which brought David Luiz, one of the most coveted players in Europe, from Benfica to London.
Matic made his Chelsea debut aged 21 during a 4-0
league victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and also featured in
our final-day 8-0 win over Wigan Athletic in 2010 which saw us clinch
the title.
In August 2010, he went on a season-long loan to
Vitesse Arnhem to gain more first-team experience and although the
transfer to Benfica was agreed mid-season, Vitesse retained his services
for the remainder of that campaign.
The 6ft 4in, left-footed player made his debut
for the Portuguese club as a late substitute in a 2-1 win over Vitoria
Guimaraes at the start of the 2011/12 campaign, and with the benefit of
regular first-team appearances, his game matured.
Composed, comfortable in possession and with a
good range of passing, he scored his first goal for the Lisbon club
during a 4-1 win against Vitoria Setubal in January 2012, and acquired
valuable Champions League experience, including games against Chelsea in
both legs of the quarter-final on our way to winning the competition.
While his first season at the club was a solid
one, the 2012/13 campaign saw Matic flourish. With Javi Garcia departing
for Manchester City, he became a formidable presence in the centre of
midfield, impressing to such an extent he was named Portuguese Player of
the Month on three occasions.
He also added more goals to his game and a
stunning volley in a 2-2 draw against Porto was this week voted second
in FIFA's Puskas Award for the best goal scored anywhere in the world in
2013. He also netted the winner as Benfica beat Bayer Leverkusen in the
second leg of their round of 32 Europa League clash.
Matic played in all but one of Benfica's matches
as they progressed to last season's Europa League final, where they were
beaten by Chelsea in Amsterdam.
They were also pipped to the Portuguese title by
Porto, with a solitary point separating the two big rivals, but on a
personal note, the season ended in a memorable manner for the Serbian
when he was named Primeira Liga Player of the Year.
The opportunity to play regularly for one of
Europe's biggest teams has undoubtedly aided Matic's development over
the last two seasons, and he continued to impress during the first half
of the current campaign in Portugal where Benfica currently have a
two-point lead at the top of the table.
His final appearance for Benfica came last Sunday, when he helped them to a 2-0 win over Porto.
Matic has earned international recognition with
Serbia at youth and Under-21 level, and with the senior team for whom he
has made nine appearances, the most recent a World Cup qualifier in
October.
source: chelseafc official website
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