Manchester United
Man United offloading £40m stalwart in exchange for this fading Belgian would be an absolute transfer disaster
Manchester United Opinion: Red Devils should turn down Inter’s swap offer
According to the Express, Serie A heavyweights, Inter Milan are interested in securing the services of Serbian international midfielder Nemanja Matic from Man United, with the report claiming that new Nerazzurri manager Antonio Conte is keen to bring the former Chelsea player to the San Siro this summer.
However, there is a twist and Inter are trying to tempt Man United into selling Matic by offering Radja Nainggolan in return, in what would be a player-plus-cash deal involving the two midfielders.
Express understands that Inter are prepared to pay £10million plus Nainggolan as a makeweight to bring Matic to the club, a stance that hasn’t gone down well at all with Red Devils executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
The same report claims that Man United are not willing to negotiate any kind of part-exchange deal, although it is still unclear whether or not they would be open to selling Matic should a good enough offer be put on the table.
Matic, who was signed from Chelsea for a fee of £40million by former manager Jose Mourinho back in the summer of 2017, has established himself as one of the mainstays of the first-team at Old Trafford.
The arrival of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hardly made a difference to his role as a regular starter, with the Norwegian also showing an inclination to use the Serbian international ahead of Fred and Scott McTominay.
However, it certainly doesn’t require a rocket scientist to figure out that Matic wasn’t at his best this past season, neither under Mourinho nor Solskjaer.
The two-time Premier League winner showed signs of slowing down and his reflexes weren’t anywhere near to being close to those that made him a stalwart in his youthful days at Stamford Bridge.
Not only did the Serb struggle to cope with the quick transitions in play, but he also left a lot to be desired with his commitment levels on the pitch.
Matic looked way off the pace more often than not and his sloppiness in possession often allowed the opposition to launch quick counter-attacks, thus leaving United vulnerable at the back.
To put it in simple words, Matic is just a shadow of his former glorious self at Chelsea and United need to shift their focus towards younger players in the market.
Having already completed deals for promising youngsters like Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Solskjaer has made his intentions very clear that he wants a youthful overhaul of the squad.
While a new centre-back continues to be a top priority, United also need to bring in a new central midfielder to cope with the departure of Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera.
And given that Matic’s influence has waned considerably, it certainly makes sense for the Red Devils to move him on and bring in a younger alternative.
To put things into perspective, Matic is still good enough to play a first-team role for any of the top clubs in the Serie A, where the tempo of the game is certainly lower when compared to the top-flight in England.
A move to Italy would, indeed, be a good deal for both parties involved but United should also ensure that they recoup a major portion of the money that they had spent to bring him to the club.
Matic is going to be 31 in August but the Red Devils are in a strong negotiating position given that he is under contract until 2020 with the option of another year.
First of all, a fee of £10million in a part-exchange deal involving Matic and Nainggolan looks ridiculous, with all due respect to the Belgian midfielder.
To add to that, United have no reason to pursue an interest in Nainggolan because he is already 31 and at a point in his career where his powers are also going to decline very soon, meaning that he is not a younger alternative to the Serb by any means.
Nainggolan registered 6 goals and 3 assists in 29 Serie A outings for Inter last season and while those returns look quite decent for a central midfielder, it is worth mentioning that the Belgian is also entering the latter stages of his career where a luxurious big-money to China or MLS would suit him better.
United should understand that Inter are only trying to get him off their books because he doesn’t feature in Conte’s plans for next season. It is clear from Inter’s shrewd approach that Conte is keen to reunite with Matic but United have no reason to budge on their valuation of the Serb.
Well, it might be an unfamiliar opinion but there could have been some other reason behind Nainggolan’s omission from Belgium’s World Cup squad last summer apart from the competition for places being an obvious issue. The 31-year-old was one of the best in the world a few years ago but he is certainly not the same player any more.
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Conclusion
Hence, if Man United are really planning to offload Matic, they might as well look for an outright transfer rather than indulging in any sort of part-exchange deal involving Nainggolan.
Manchester United Women travel to the Spanish capital for Thursday’s Women’s Champions League knockout phase playoff clash against Atletico Madrid Women. Both teams will be desperate to claim a first leg advantage ahead of next week’s return leg, with Bayern Munich waiting in the quarter finals for the winner of this tie.
Atletico were unconvincing in the league phase, but they ultimately did enough to secure an 11th place finish. The Spanish side won two of their opening four matches before losing back to back games against Man United and Juventus. They claimed a crucial 4-0 victory against Twente but mustered just one point from their final two matches.
Kick-off: 20:00 GMT, Thursday, February 12, 2026.
Venue: Centro Deportivo Wanda, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
TV: Disney+
New Manager Jose Herrera Seeks Turnaround
Atleti will enter the knockout rounds with a new manager after Jose Herrera was appointed head coach following the dismissal of Victor Martin, who failed to win any of his final 10 matches in regulation time. Herrera has overseen an upturn in fortunes with a 4-1 Copa de la Reina quarter final victory and a 1-0 away win over Levante at the weekend.
The Atleti boss faces a much tougher task on Thursday, especially as the hosts are yet to win a home game in the UWCL main draw this season. This is frankly concerning for a club of Atletico’s stature heading into such a crucial tie.
United Riding Nine Game Unbeaten Run
Marc Skinner’s side should carry significant momentum into Thursday’s first leg, having put together a nine game unbeaten run since losing 3-0 at home to Lyon in December. Man United have won each of their last five competitive matches, including a 2-0 win over Leicester at the weekend.
Ella Toone and Leah Galton remain unavailable due to hip and back injuries, respectively.
Predicted Lineups
Atlético Madrid (4-3-3): Gallardo; Alexia, Lloris, Lauren, Menayo; Fiamma, Boe Risa, Bartel; Sarriegi, Jensen, Medina
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Tullis-Joyce; Riviere, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg; Zigiotti Olme, Miyazawa; Malard, Park, Rolfo; Terland
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Marc Skinner’s side continued their unbeaten start to 2026 in the Women’s Super League with a deserved 2-0 victory over Leicester at the King Power Stadium. Swedish star Julia Zigiotti Olme was key to United’s win with a goal and an assist, while super sub Elisabeth Terland made the game safe late on.
United started brightly and were ahead after 13 minutes when Zigiotti Olme’s cross beat Olivia Clark and crept in at the far post. Melvine Malard was twice denied by Clark before halftime as United dominated but couldn’t extend their lead.
The pressure eventually told late on when Terland made the game safe. Zigiotti Olme won the ball back high up the pitch and fed Terland, who showed great footwork to fire a low shot across the goal to seal a deserved victory.
Goalkeeper & Defence
Phallon Tullis-Joyce (7/10): Called into action on several occasions but looked confident with no real scares.
Hanna Lundkvist (6/10): Did a good job filling in. Had a chance from a corner but couldn’t keep her header down.
Maya Le Tissier (7/10): Commanding performance from the captain who dealt comfortably with Leicester’s threat.
Dominique Janssen (7/10): Good shift alongside Le Tissier as Leicester struggled to cause problems.
Anna Sandberg (8/10): Strong showing from left back, always getting forward with good deliveries. Lucky to escape a penalty shout.
Midfield & Attack
Hinata Miyazawa (7/10): Great partnership with Zigiotti Olme on show again. Sent in an excellent ball for Schuller.
Julia Zigiotti Olme (8/10): United’s best player by a distance. Broke deadlock with cross that crept in before teeing up Terland. Absolutely outstanding.
Lisa Naalsund (6/10): Really quiet showing after starring against Liverpool. Hooked just after the hour.
Jess Park (6/10): Not at her best as Leicester kept her quiet. Engineered a chance, but the ball got stuck under her feet.
Lea Schuller (7/10): Her presence might have distracted the goalkeeper for the opener. Worked hard up front.
Melvine Malard (8/10): A real nuisance, making great runs. Had sights on the goal but couldn’t beat Clark.
Subs & Manager
Jayde Riviere (7/10): Solid showing off the bench. Good block on Alisha Lehmann late on.
Fridolina Rolfo (6/10): Had some good moments but couldn’t conjure up the second goal.
Elisabeth Terland (8/10): Loves scoring against Leicester. Five goals in five outings against the Foxes. Incredible record.
Simi Awujo (7/10): Forced Clark into a good save. Looked lively.
Marc Skinner (7/10): Happy with the win but disappointed by the margin. United dominated but needs more ruthlessness in front of the goal.
Also read: Manchester United WFC vs. Liverpool WFC : Predicted Lineups + Match Preview
Manchester United Women host bottom placed Liverpool at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday as Marc Skinner’s side look to extend their impressive seven game unbeaten run in all competitions. The Red Devils sit fourth in the WSL table, just one point behind third placed Arsenal, while the visitors are desperately fighting to avoid the relegation playoff.
United head into this derby clash in excellent form following their 4-1 thrashing of Aston Villa last weekend. Goals from Julia Zigiotti Olme, Elisabeth Terland, Jess Park and Hanna Lundkvist secured a dominant away victory that continued their momentum after beating Arsenal in the League Cup semi finals.
Kick-off: 11:55 GMT, Sunday, February 2, 2026
Venue: Leigh Sports Village, Manchester
TV: Sky Sports (UK)
United Chasing Champions League Qualification
This is a must win game for Manchester United if they want to maintain their push for UWCL qualification. Just four points separate Tottenham in fifth from Chelsea in second, making every match crucial in this tight battle for European places.
Skinner remains without Leah Galton and Ella Toone due to back and hip injuries respectively, though Gabby George and Fridolina Rolfo have returned to training. Elisabeth Terland and Hanna Lundkvist are pushing for starts after impressive substitute appearances against Villa.
Liverpool Boosted by First Win
Liverpool finally recorded their first WSL victory of the season last weekend, beating Tottenham with two stoppage time goals. Gareth Taylor has strengthened considerably in January, and several new arrivals featured in that crucial home win.
The Reds remain without Sam Kerr, Martha Thomas, Marie Hobinger and Zara Shaw, while January signing Anna Josendal is not ready to debut. Beata Olsson is back in full training and could feature.
Predicted Lineups:
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Tullis Joyce; Lundkvist, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg; Miyazawa, Zigiotti Olme; Wangerheim, Park, Malard; Terland
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Falk; Shimizu, Clark, Fisk, Woodham; Nagano, O’Sullivan; Bergstrom, Kapocs, Holland; Enderby
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