Man Utd have reportedly reached a compromise to extend Juan Mata’s stay at Old Trafford by another year, with his current deal set to expire in a matter of weeks.
As noted by Sport, the Spaniard had been heavily tipped to move on this summer given his contract was set to run down, with no agreement seemingly close.
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However, after further talks, The Mirror now claim that it’s 90% certain that Mata will sign a new deal, with a compromise touted on his wages in a one-year contract.
The 31-year-old played a limited role last season, making 32 appearances across all competitions while scoring six goals and providing four assists.
Nevertheless, his leadership, experience and quality in the final third arguably still make him a vital figure at Old Trafford, and so it’s easy to understand why Man Utd would perhaps be eager to extend his stay.
Having already lost Ander Herrera and Antonio Valencia on free transfers, the last thing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs is to lose more quality, as it will undoubtedly make the club’s task this summer even more difficult in trying to build a squad capable of competing for major honours.
Mata does still offer a different dynamic in the final third though which could prove to be crucial, as his technical quality and passing ability complement the pace and movement of the likes of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial well.
In turn, it would seem like a sensible decision from the club to keep him on, and based on the report above, it appears to be a matter of time before an announcement is made. Given he only has two weeks left on his current deal, it’s likely to come sooner rather than later.
