Juan Mata has fallen down the pecking order at Manchester United (Getty Images)
According to Sky Sports, Manchester United have begun contract negotiations over a new deal for Spanish midfielder Juan Mata. The former Chelsea midfielder joined the club in 2014 and had a one-year contract extension in January.
The Spaniard, who currently earns £140,000-a-week, has made just 5 starts under Jose Mourinho this season, scoring 1 goal and providing 1 assist in that time. He certainly has seen his game time reduce over the last two years. Mata did score the all-important goal against Juventus last week but there’s no guarantee that will provide him with regular game time.
The Red Devils have brought in the likes of Fred, Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez over the last year which means Juan Mata is already way below the pecking order. The likes of Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini and Nemanja Matic are all in contention for midfield roles as well, making it clear the Spaniard will not be a regular feature.
Mata’s performances have also dropped over the last year. Though he still possesses a technically brilliant mind, the midfielder has lost that extra flair and energy that he once had. The Red Devils are also in dire need of some young pure talent in their squad and they should definitely consider offloading Juan Mata in January.
The 30-year-old did make 28 league appearances last season, most of which came off the bench. He scored just 3 goals and provided 5 assists in that time. It does seem to be that the former Chelsea midfielder doesn’t exactly suit Mourinho’s pragmatic style of play. The manager has often picked Marouane Fellaini and Scott McTominay because that’s the kind of players he prefers in his matchday squad.
Mata does not have much left in him and it would also be best for the player to make a move elsewhere in search of first-team football. Apart from that, Manchester United are also going to need to invest in more players when the transfer window reopens in January. The Red Devils have already spent a huge chunk on a number of players who have failed to make significant impacts.
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If they are to dive back into the market in January the club could certainly do with some extra funds by offloading Juan Mata for a cut-price deal. If not, they face the risk of losing the Spanish midfielder for free at the end of the season.
