Why Manchester United must hold onto Juan Mata despite Lazio talks
According to The Sun, Lazio are prepared to make a swoop for Manchester United’s Juan Mata. Earlier it was thought that Manchester United were only discussing a deal for Pereira but the Italian side have looked to include Mata.
Lazio switched their attention to the duo after a proposed deal for David Silva fell through as the player opted to move to Real Sociedad (source – Sky Sports).
Profile
Juan Mata is a 32-year-old Spanish midfielder who plays for Manchester United. He started his youth career at Real Oviedo in 1998 and moved to Real Madrid’s academy 5 years later. The playmaker progressed through the youth teams before being promoted to the RM Castilla team in 2006.
After just a year, Mata was released and signed for Valencia. He shot into limelight with his performances for the La Liga side. In 174 games for the side, the Spaniard scored 46 goals and assisted 52.
Chelsea came calling in 2011, which was hardly surprising given his ridiculous stats for Valencia. At Chelsea, Mata became one of the finest number 10’s in Europe. He enjoyed one of the most prolific spells of his career where he scored 38 and assisted 52 goals in just 135 appearances (source – Transfermarkt).
However, Mata’s game time reduced from 2013 onwards and he made a move to rivals Manchester United in 2014. While he hasn’t enjoyed the same level of success at Old Trafford, he has managed to rack up over 250 games and contributed to 93 goals (49G + 44A).
Mata is one of football’s most decorated players who has won some of the biggest trophies there are. He has won the FIFA World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012 for Spain. Add to that a Champions League and two Europa League titles. It’s really a shame that he has featured only 41 times for Spain.
Should Manchester United keep Juan Mata?
The diminutive playmaker has been through a lot in his Manchester United career, often having to play out of position to accommodate other attacking midfielders. However, he has taken it all in his stride and kept going with a smile on his face.
With so many midfielders at Manchester United currently, Mata is really not a part of the starting XI these days. He has often been called up to play the cup competitions or fixtures where the first-choice players were rested. However, the £160k-a-week star still remains a useful player for United.
Verdict
While it would seem logical to let go of a 32-year-old who sporadically features for the team, Manchester United lack quality in their second-string side. Juan Mata is one of the few players who stands out among them and it would be an unwise move by Manchester United to let him go.
