Manchester United midfield star reportedly set for “showdown talks”: What should be Ole’s play here?

Manchester United have had a few issues in midfield, with rumours of French midfielder Paul Pogba leaving the club, but it now seems that another midfielder is unhappy with his position at the club.

Nemanja Matic is reportedly set to have “showdown talks” with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about his future at the club.

The Serbian international has not played in any of the three Premier League games, and was on the bench for all three games.

Mirror Football have reported that the former Chelsea midfielder is unhappy after being overlooked by the Red Devils manager, as 22-year-old Scott McTominay has replaced him in the side, playing alongside Pogba in the opening three games.

The report reveals that the Serbian wants to have more clarity on his future at Old Trafford.

Matic was signed by previous United manager Jose Mourinho from Chelsea for a fee of £40 million in the 2017 summer transfer window. The same report states that many European clubs are interested in the experienced midfielder, who has one year remaining on his current contract at Old Trafford.

What should Ole do with Nemanja Matic?

In his prime, Matic was one of the best defensive midfielders in England, helping Chelsea to two Premier League titles. The Serbian, though, hasn’t been as impressive for the Red Devils, and his performances have been criticised by fans and pundits over the last year or so.

Solskjaer clearly prefers the younger McTominay, who is a lot more aggressive in the tackling, and quicker to cover the ground to press and win back possession, which is an area where Matic hasn’t quite impressed.

The Red Devils manager has shown that he can be ruthless in selling or dropping players that do not adhere to his system or are past their best, as he showed in Romelu Lukaku’s departure, and Alexis Sanchez’s impending exit. But, letting Matic leave could be a grave error by Solskjaer as he does not have too many quality central midfielders in his squad.

Apart from Pogba and McTominay, Solskjaer has Fred – who flopped massively in his first season at the club; and, Andreas Pereira – who has blown hot and cold in his short United career, and hasn’t impressed enough to stake a claim for a first-team place.

An injury to one of the aforementioned players could result in the Norwegian manager not having any options to choose from in midfield.

Despite his dwindling form, Matic could still play an important role in United’s team and regain a spot in the starting lineup at Old Trafford.