MANCHESTER UNITED boss Jose Mourinho says he was surprised to receive a phone call informing him that Nemanja Matic was available in the summer.
Matic first joined Chelsea in 2009 but was sold in 2011 after struggling to break into the first team.
But Mourinho brought Matic back to English football in 2014 and in their first full season together they won the Premier League.
The midfielder also won the league with Antonio Conte last term but to the surprise of many was sold for £40million by the club to Manchester United.
It is a decision that has so far backfired with Matic playing a key role in United’s impressive start to the campaign.
Chelsea have struggled in central midfield with N’Golo Kante and Danny Drinkwater injured and summer signing Tiemoue Bakayoko still adjusting to his new club.
United’s trip to Chelsea this weekend marks Matic’s first return to his former club.
And Mourinho has opened up about the circumstances which led to Matic’s arrival at Stamford Bridge.
“I was surprised when [Matic’s] agent called me to say ‘do you want him?'”, Mourinho told Sky Sports News.
“I was surprised, but he’s an agent I know well.
“Normally he’s very direct and objective, he doesn’t waste time, he doesn’t try to get people to be interested in his players to improve their situation at their club.
“Normally he’s very straightforward, so when he told me ‘you can have him if you want’, of course I want.”
Source:www.express.co.uk