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Nemanja Matic in line for Manchester United debut after being named in squad for Sampdoria pre-season friendly

Jose Mourinho welcomes David de Gea and Antonio Valencia back into the travelling party after the pair missed Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Valerenga in Oslo

Mark Critchley
Wednesday 02 August 2017 11:56 BST
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Nemanja Matic is in line to make his debut on Wednesday evening
Nemanja Matic is in line to make his debut on Wednesday evening

Nemanja Matic is in line to make his first appearance in a Manchester United shirt on Wednesday after being named in the squad for the pre-season friendly against Sampdoria in Dublin.

The midfielder, who completed his £40m signing from Chelsea on Monday, is expected to make his non-competitive debut for the club.

Jose Mourinho welcomes David de Gea and Antonio Valencia back into the travelling party after the pair missed Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Valerenga in Oslo.

Juan Mata and Ander Herrera are expected to feature again after returning from injury to play 45 minutes against Valerenga, while marquee summer signing Romelu Lukaku will hope to improve on his tally of three pre-season goals since joining from Everton.

Phil Jones has travelled for the friendly at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium despite being handed a Uefa ban which has suspended him from next Tuesday’s Super Cup against Champions League winners Real Madrid.

Jones and fellow defender Daley Blind were sanctioned by European football’s governing body after they were found guilty of breaching doping regulations following United’s Europa League final triumph in May.

It is understood that Blind was fined €£5,000 (£4,475) for being reluctant to take a test as requested after the 2-0 defeat of Ajax in Stockholm, while Jones was verbally abusive towards a doping control officer.

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