Nemanja Matic could make his Premier League debut for Man Utd against West Ham on Sunday (Picture: Getty)

Jose Mourinho admits he still can’t believe Chelsea’s generosity in selling Nemanja Matic to Manchester United.

The midfield powerhouse had been a central figure in a Chelsea unit which has won the Premier League title in two of the last three seasons.

Mourinho pinpointed a player of Matic’s style as a key summer transfer requirement but never envisaged he would be able to prise him from Stamford Bridge.

Antonio Conte has openly questioned the sale of the 28-year-old and labelled his departure a gross loss and Mourinho believes Matic could well prove the missing piece in his United jigsaw.

‘When I joined Manchester United last year I thought immediately that we needed a kind of Matic but there are not many. There are just a couple, not many,’ he said.

Jose Mourinho spent £40million on signing Nemanja Matic from Chelsea (Picture: Getty)
Jose Mourinho spent £40million on signing Nemanja Matic from Chelsea (Picture: Getty)

‘But I was not thinking of it [buying him] because I always thought I never like to go to players that I think are the impossible mission and I felt there was no chance.

‘When I got the call that Matic wants to play for me and wants to play for Manchester United this season and we can make it happen, I thought it’s the perfect player for me.

‘Not just for his qualities, also for my relationship with him, the way I know him, the way he knows me.

‘He’s one of those players with no question marks in front. He doesn’t need time to adapt to England.

‘He’s not a young guy who comes from another country. He doesn’t need time to learn the Premier League.

‘He’s a player of 29 and has five years in the Premier League. He has lots of experience.

‘He’s one of those players that gives me what I like in players which is consistency. It is the way I trust the player is going to perform. Matic is Matic. So I think he was a fantastic signing for us.’

MORE : Manchester United make major breakthrough in race to sign Ivan Perisic