The departure of Juan Mata from Stamford Bridge in 2014 shocked many – not least because it was to Old Trafford.
Mata had just won the Player of the Year award at Chelsea following the club’s Europa League winning campaign under Rafael Benitez, was in the form of his life and had become a fan favourite at the Bridge.
All that changed however following the re-appointment of Jose Mourinho, and the Spaniard soon found himself isolated, making only 11 Premier League starts up until Christmas with Brazilian play-maker Oscar preferred by the Portuguese manager.
Frustration set in, and as soon as you could say his whole name Juan Manuel Mata Garcia was on his way to Manchester United in a shock move and claiming to ‘be really happy to go’.
The fall from grace was not Mata’s fault, but it was monumental.
A player who in only 135 games had scored 33 goals and provided a whopping 58 assists had moved for pastures new and Blues fans were left wondering what just happened.
In a strange twist of fate however, history looks to repeat itself this summer. Jose Mourinho has now followed the man he sold to United to become their manager, and is reportedly happy to once again let the former Valencia star go as he looks to build his squad at Old Trafford.
Mata again has been impressive at United, and should count himself desperately unlucky if he were to once again given the axe from the ‘special one’.
Our United fans at the Tavern are torn on the issue, so they’ve given us two pros and two cons to United and Jose waving goodbye to Juan Mata this summer ….
PRO: Money to Spend
If Mata, were to leave Old Trafford this summer, he would have to do so at a price, and not a cheap one, with the fee for the midfielder allegedly being in the region of around £20 million.
That is £20 million that could be smartly reinvested elsewhere – most notably towards the signing of Henrikh Mkhataryan who seems set for a United switch.
CON: Star Midfielder
Despite playing most of his football with United out on the wing, it is difficult to name a a man in the middle of United’s park who has been more influential over the past two seasons than Mata.
Ander Herrera has been hit-and-miss, Marouane Fellaini serves only as a human wrecking ball and Michael Carrick has almost fallen into anonymity.
The Spaniard adds creativity and skill to United’s midfield which they lack otherwise.
PRO: Not Mourinho’s Man
The last thing United want is a repeat of what happened with Jose Mourinho at Chelsea – where the players seemingly revolved against him eventually leading to his sacking half way through the Premier League campaign.
Mata was disregarded and sold by Mourinho in his second tenure at Chelsea, and it is fairly well known the relationship between the pair is not exactly brilliant. Want to avoid the drama?
Move Mata on.
CON: Back to Bite
The former Valencia midfielder is a big fan of the Premier League – urging overseas players earlier in the year to make the switch to what he deemed ‘the place to be’. I
f he were to move on, it is unlikely he would go to the continent.
Everton are favourites to sign the Spain international, so United would face the prospect of playing against him next season if so.
With a point to prove, the World Cup winner could just well come back to bite United.
