Manchester United

Nemanja Matic: 'Manchester United need to sign more experienced players'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 20 May 2018

Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic urges the club to bring in more experienced players during the summer if they are to challenge on all fronts next season.

Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic has urged the club to bring in more experienced players during the summer transfer window.

The Red Devils recorded their highest league finish since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement this season, but they were still a record 19 points adrift of champions Manchester City and ended the campaign without silverware courtesy of Saturday's FA Cup final defeat at the hands of Chelsea.

Matic is confident his side are heading in the right direction, but admits that they will need to be busy in the transfer market if they are to challenge on all fronts next season.

"We need some players with experience to bring more qualities to our team. After that, we can fight for the title and the Champions League also," Matic is quoted as saying by The Guardian.

"When you don't win one year the next year is always more pressure. When you play for Manchester United this is normal and we have to accept and deal with that. We have improved. Last year United were sixth. The year before, fifth. So we improve, we are second.

"The only team who is better than us is Man City. They play amazing football. But we are second and in the Champions League next year, which is the most important thing. When you win a trophy it's different and you feel better but the most important thing is that we can look in the mirror and know we gave our best [against Chelsea].

"The team was sad after the game – we know we deserved more – but this is football. It is a final, everything can happen, so we have to be focused on the next challenge."

Matic has now been on the losing side in the past two FA Cup finals, for Chelsea in 2016-17 and United this term.