In mid-August, Nemanja Matic had been part of AS Roma, but he departed the Italian capital to sign a two-year contract with Ligue 1 club Stade Rennais in the final days of the summer transfer window.
So…A perfectly normal transfer. Well, not really. Complications arose when Matic unexpectedly went AWOL. The surprise element of his absence led to its categorisation as “absent without leave”.
There have been suggestions that the Serbian spent his time away in London, possibly due to challenges in finding suitable schooling for his kids upon joining the club. However, the details remain somewhat hazy and unsubstantiated.
Reports indicate that Matic has emptied his training ground locker, removed himself from Stade Rennais’ first-team squad group chat, and there are speculations about a potential January exit. The extent to which these claims are accurate or speculative remains uncertain.
If Nemanja Matic was to leave Stade Rennais, there is a possibility of his return to the Premier League. According to respected journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Fulham have expressed interest in signing him this month and might consider making a move if the transfer is sanctioned.
If this deal rings true then Matic would be joining his fellow countryman Sasa Lukic at the Cottagers.