Juan Mata is reportedly set to leave Manchester United after the current season amid interest from Spain.
According to The Athletic, Manchester United midfielder, Juan Mata is attracting interest from multiple La Liga clubs and looks set to bring an end to his time with the Red Devils. The 33-year-old’s contract with the Red Devils expires at the end of the season, and chances of an extension look bleak.
Mata, a Real Madrid youth product, arrived in England in 2011 with Chelsea following a four-year spell with Valencia. The playmaker helped the Blues win the Champions League in his first season and the Europa League in the second. He was named Chelsea’s Player of the Season for consecutive years.
However, the arrival of Jose Mourinho meant Mata’s game-time was cut short with Oscar getting the preference. The diminutive attacking midfielder was eventually sold to Manchester United in January 2014, joining the Red Devils in a £37.5 million move. Mata could not quite recapture his Chelsea form at Old Trafford, and gradually lost out on his starting spot.
The 33-year-old has scored 51 goals and provided 47 assists in 277 games for Manchester United and signed a 12-month extension with the club only last year. But he has struggled to find game-time this season. Mata has made just four appearances across all competitions for the Mancunian outfit and has not played in the Premier League at all.
The aforementioned report claims that Mata is fully fit and is training well with the team but is puzzled at why interim manager Ralf Rangnick has not used him much. He has played just twice since the German tactician took over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November last year.
The Spaniard believes that he can still contribute at a leading European club and is thus looking for potential suitors. Several La Liga clubs have made enquiries about Mata’s signing, but it has been reported that he is looking for a new challenge and could decide against returning to Spain.
Whether Mata finds a new club or stays at Manchester United for another season remains to be seen. For now, he is seemingly heading towards a Bosman move.
