just got this of skysports.com so not sure how accurate it is, but it sounds pretty good. i dont know a lot about him but remember a few on here seem to think highly of him.

Serbia midfielder Nemanja Matic claims he has accepted a four-year contract offer at Chelsea.

The 20-year-old was linked with Middlesbrough in the winter transfer window, while Tottenham and Sunderland have also been credited with an interest.

But, according to Matic, Chelsea have won the race and now the Blues must agree a deal with his current club MFK Kosice.

He told Dennik Sport: "I can confirm that Chelsea have offered me a four-year contract, which I have accepted.

"Now the clubs must come to an agreement."

Matic broke a metatarsal bone in the opening match of this summer's Under 21 European Championship following a challenge with Italy's Sebastian Giovinco.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_5434933,00.html

http://www.imscouting.com/global_news_item.aspx?id=2588

Sky Sports report that "Nemanja Matic claims he has accepted a four-year contract at Chelsea, with the Blues and Slovakian side MFK Kosice still in talks over a transfer fee for the 20-year-old playmaker."

Matic is a 6.4ft central midfielder who has been dubbed "the Serbian Patrick Vieira" in his home country. He is a left-footed central midfielder who can also play in a defensive midfield position or higher up the pitch as an attacking midfielder.

He joined MFK Kosice in 2006/2007 from Kolubara Lazarevac. Last season Matic played 28 games for Kosice and scored two goals and also picked up four yellow cards.

Scouts in Slovakia describe Matic as "a player that has impressed over the past two seasons. He has great positioning, is mobile and has great long passing."

Matic was part of the Serbian Under-21 squad at the European Under-21 Championship but he was forced to leave the Swedish tournament after just one game after he picked up an injury to his right foot.

He has played twice for the full Serbian national team, the full 90 minutes against Poland last December and then 27 minutes of a friendly with Cyprus in February. A number of other clubs were interested in Matic including CSKA Moskow, Tottenham and Genoa.

IMScouting understands that Chelsea will pay 1.5 million pounds to secure the services of Matic. Video evidence of the "Serbian Patrick Vieira" can be seen on the video below.

I hope this is true. The fella's a tank.

The youtube scout in me agrees. He seems very tough to knock off the ball in those videos, and aware of defenders on either side of him.

Hope he is getting loaned out to a championship club or something. At 20 I guess times-a-wastin on his development

Hope he is getting loaned out to a championship club or something. At 20 I guess times-a-wastin on his development

He's too good for the Championship. For now he'll make a good squad player; possibly taking the place of Belletti?

Our side is becoming the Eastern Bloc. -_- Cech, Ballack, Ivanovic, Sheva, Zhirkov and now this guy.

He looks good on youtube. I hope we can develop him.

Edited July 15, 200915 yr by ChelseaYankee

Our side is becoming the Eastern Bloc. -_- Cech, Ballack, Ivanovic, Sheva, Zhirkov and now this guy.

He looks good on youtube. I hope we can develop him.

Ballack is not eastern bloc...

He was born in East Germany I thought?

Our side is becoming the Eastern Bloc. -_- Cech, Ballack, Ivanovic, Sheva, Zhirkov and now this guy.

He looks good on youtube. I hope we can develop him.

I kept thinking that this May when every rumour seemed to center around Zhirkov, Dzagoev, Dzeko, Masimovic, Arnautovic, plus my own personal interest in Srna.

Good signing I hope.

Does it mean that I've got too much time on my hands if I just spent half an hour scouring the internet for a download of the U21's Championship game he played in? Just so I can download and watch it to get a better idea of what he's like so I can make him on Pro Evo and get it accurate?

"Matic was part of the Serbian Under-21 squad at the European Under-21 Championship but he was forced to leave the Swedish tournament after just one game after he picked up an injury to his right foot."

Any news on how serious?

"Matic was part of the Serbian Under-21 squad at the European Under-21 Championship but he was forced to leave the Swedish tournament after just one game after he picked up an injury to his right foot."

Any news on how serious?

I read he had surgery on it, not sure how close to a recovery he is though.

I read he had surgery on it, not sure how close to a recovery he is though.

I don't think it matters. It's a broken bone on the outside of the foot. He's one for the future. It has plenty of time to heal and won't effect him in the slightest. As long as he passes his physical for the team (no enlarged heart, torn knee ligaments and the like), I'm not worried about it.

He was born in East Germany I thought?

correct.

dispiriting to read he's seen as the new vieira, only because we need artful footballers more than athletes, however the videos suggest he has a bit of that. not that videos mean much at all.

the signing seems to have arnesen's fingerprints on them (if indeed these reports have any substance in the first place). perhaps his first signing for the first team squad?

I hope this is true. The fella's a tank.

Tank? You mean tank like Alex is? Big guy with lot a bit of weight on him, big torso? I don't know which clip you watched but I wouldn't call him a tank he's just tall..He is number 26 on that yellow team in that youtube clip no.2, right?

This Matic guy looked just like a white version of our Mikel. Tall, good with the ball and very aware of players around him. Comparison to Vieira is very accurate IMO.

If we decide to play Mikel in front of the backline and Essien more advanced he could be suitable cover for Mikel if he(Mikel) injures and during the ACN..

Not the most exciting deal but I'm glad we go for players like Matic instead of guys like a-move-away-from-retiring-Mineiro.

Hope we finalize the deal and maybe get rid of Belletti...

I really hope this is true! He is very talented player. I was watching him in few games when he played for Serbia and he played really good. And he is Serb too! :D

I really hope this is true! He is very talented player. I was watching him in few games when he played for Serbia and he played really good. And he is Serb too! :D

So he plays for Serbia and he's Serb,too? What are the chances of that? We must have him!

So he plays for Serbia and he's Serb,too? What are the chances of that? We must have him!

It's strange that you get that combination.

He can't join he's wearing JT's number!!

He can't join he's wearing JT's number!!

That'll be on the bluemoon forum any minute. It's yet another sign.......

That'll be on the bluemoon forum any minute. It's yet another sign.......

Better not let them know he's just bought a new dog then. It's a Manchester Terrier.

I guess if true, this blows the Pirlo rumour out of the water. With this guy as a backup midfielder to Mikel and Essien (with ACN in mind), there's really no reason to sign anyone else in midfield.

So he plays for Serbia and he's Serb,too? What are the chances of that? We must have him!

I guess that chances for that are very small but it can happen. And yes, we must have him! :angry:

People who have seen him: is this guy meant to go straight into the squad then? Or is there some development time before he joins?

Nemanja Matić (born August 1, 1988 in Šabac) is a Serbian - Slovak footballer, who currently plays as central midfielder for MFK Košice since January 2007.

National team

Matić's debut in national team of Serbia U21 came in match against Denmark U21 at October 11, 2008. After only playing 3 games in the Serbia U21, Nemanja has now been called up to play his 1st game on the 14th December with the senior Serbian national team.

1st Born August 1988. in hot, with Uba. 1.94 cm high, 82 kg. Begun in "Radnicki" from Obrenovac, played in the pioneering age of Lazarevac "Kolubara" and "Jedinstvo" from Ub, in the younger categories performed for FK Partizan and FK Crvena Zvezda. Senior career started in "Kolubara", and after only six months left in the Slovak team MFK Kosice, in which he performancing today. For a young team to Serbia has played three games and scored two goals. Debut 11 October 2008. against Denmark, while in a friendly meeting in Tel Aviv against Israel (3:2) scored two goals. Selector of "eagles" Radomir Antic called him for a friendly encounter against the Poles in December 2008.

The second text is from translator with few of my corrections (my english is also bad)

http://www.reprezentacija.rs/cgi-bin/index.pl?str=naslovi

Edited July 16, 200915 yr by BelgradeCFC