Juan Mata left Manchester United this month after his contract expired, and the 34-year-old could be staying in the Premier League next season.
Mata struggled to break into the Manchester United first-team in recent years, especially after the signing of Bruno Fernandes. The attacking midfielder is now 34, but he isn’t done yet.
The Spaniard looked set to be moving to Spain or the MLS (via Metro), but he has refused to rule out staying in the Premier League, according to The Times.
Mata still has a lot to give despite his age, but it will take a specific Premier League side to be able to offer him regular game time. The 34-year-old is a natural attacking midfielder, a position we don’t see an awful lot in the modern game.
When Mata was at his best, during his time at Chelsea, a large proportion of Premier League teams played with a number ten, but it’s a rarity these days.
A lot of teams set up with a holding midfielder and two box to box players, or a midfield two. Due to Mata’s lack of defensive nous, he would find it difficult to play in these systems.