We All Follow United
·27 September 2021
We All Follow United
·27 September 2021
According to Manchester Evening News, Juan Mata is considering his future at Manchester United amidst a lack of playing time.
The Spaniard arrived at the club back in 2014 for a then club-record fee of £37.1million from rivals Chelsea. The attacking midfielder was sensational for the Blues as he had won them the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League. Thus, it was always had the elements of a good signing.
Over the years, the 33-year-old has featured prominently but has never been able to nail down a starting spot in the line-up. Although Mata managed to rack up 18 appearances last season, most of them were off-the-bench as he got less than 900 minutes on the pitch.
Juan Mata joined Manchester United in 2014 for a then club-record fee of £37.1million. (imago Images)
Things only took a turn for the worse this summer after the club made the additions of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho. This is despite the fact that Solskjaer already had the likes of Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood, Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford, and Edinson Cavani at his beckoning.
Even if the Spaniard was to be played as a midfielder, the options are completely stacked. The only game the 33-year-old featured in this season was the EFL Cup tie against West Ham United last week.
Mata was omitted from the squad against Aston Villa on the weekend, and given that his contract will expire next summer, a move could be on the cards. However, it remains to be seen whether he decides to leave in January or on a free transfer after 11 months.
Mata is considering an exit from the club due to a lack of playing time. (imago Images)
Regardless, the attacking midfielder has been a brilliant servant over the years, evident by his 51 goals and 47 assists in 274 appearances. Thus, in a move that could also benefit United by freeing up some space in the wage bill, it might not be long before the Spaniard exits the club.