Popular Manchester United star Juan Mata will leave the club in January if a strong offer is put forward.
This is according to journalist Ekrem Konur, who believes Mata is open to leaving United in January if he receives a “good offer” during the January transfer window.
This would make some sense for both parties.
Mata, 33, has played just 151 minutes of football from three appearances so far this season, with not even a second of them coming in the Premier League.
The Spanish playmaker has appeared under each of the managers who have taken charge of United just once this season:
- A 62 minute game in the first round of the Carabao Cup when Manchester United lost to West Ham United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
- A one minute appearance at the end of match day five of the Champions League against Villarreal under Michael Carrick.
- And an 89 minute runout under Ralf Rangnick in United’s dead rubber fixture against BSC Young Boys on match day six of the Champions League.
For United it makes sense to let him go as despite his popularity among the Old Trafford fanbase, with his two goal stint at Anfield in 2015 that included a stunning scissor-kick immediately granting him cult status, he his now just hoovering up wages and taking up a position in the squad that could be given to a new signing or one of the clubs academy prospects.
Since joining from Chelsea in 2014, Mata has made 276 appearances for The Red Devils, scoring 51 times and assisting 47. Mata scored the goal that took United to extra time in the 2016 FA Cup final and eventually saw them win it for the first time since 2004