"Nemanja Matic: The Story Behind My Escape from a Trial with Gareth Southgate"

Table of Contents

• Career Beginning
• Trial with Middlesbrough
• Move to Chelsea
• Further Career

NEMANJA MATIC disclosed that he left the UK after a contentious trial with Gareth Southgate’s Middlesbrough, which ultimately led him to Chelsea.

Matic, 37, has enjoyed a remarkable nearly 20-year career, winning two Premier League titles with the Blues and making a significant impact in the top flight.

Nemanja Matic revealed he left the UK after a contentious trial before his transfer to Chelsea. Matic had an unpleasant trial with Middlesbrough under Gareth Southgate's management.

Before the midfielder gained recognition, he started his career with the Slovakian team Kosice, which sent him on trial with Boro.

However, the former Serbia international was not enthusiastic about the idea from the beginning and was unimpressed by the conditions he encountered upon arriving in North Yorkshire.

So dissatisfied with his then-club, the Sassuolo star decided to leave the UK just two days later, disregarding the team's requests to train with Southgate’s squad.

This led to his transfer to Chelsea in 2009 after then-Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti observed him during the Under-21 Euros.

Matic shared with FourFourTwo : “I signed for Chelsea after the Under-21 Euros, when I had broken my foot against Italy in the only match I played.

“I was fortunate that he had seen the game and signed me for Chelsea.

“Six months prior to that, my club sent me to Middlesbrough. They told me I needed to go on trial for 10 days, but I didn’t want to go on trial anywhere; I was a top-division player in Slovakia.

“They were insistent. I said no. But they insisted I just go there for three days, meet the club, Middlesbrough would explain everything, and if I was satisfied, they’d offer me a contract to play in the Premier League. Southgate was the manager.

“I went, but I didn’t speak English, except for the word ‘taxi’. I arrived at the training ground, received a full kit, and was placed in a dressing room with just one other player.

“I wasn’t pleased, then I saw the pitch – what an incredible pitch! So I trained for two days.

“They asked me to stay for 10 days, but I didn’t want that and contacted a Serbian lady to help me plan my escape.

“I took a taxi to Manchester Airport and returned home. I ignored my club’s calls because I was upset that they had sent me on trial. I went to Chelsea instead.”

Matic did not make a significant impact during his first period with Chelsea and was loaned to Vitesse in 2010 before leaving for Benfica the following year as part of a deal that brought David Luiz to Stamford Bridge.

After three successful years with the Portuguese giants, the West Londoners re-signed the central midfielder for £21 million.

Matic went on to accumulate a total of seven goals and 18 assists in 154 appearances before transferring to Manchester United in 2017, where he reunited with former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

The Serbian star recorded four goals and 11 assists in 189 appearances during a five-year tenure with the Red Devils.

Short stints with Roma, Rennes, and Lyon followed before his move to Italy last summer.