What next for Man Utd legend Juan Mata?
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 2 Jun 2022 10:16 BST
- 3 min read
Juan Mata 's exit from Manchester United has been confirmed following a statement from the club on Thursday that he will not be retained at the end of his contract.
It was a moment that was a long time coming for the Spaniard, who has been a peripheral but popular member of the squad in recent seasons.
The 34-year-old made an emotional farewell from Manchester United on 2 May following a 3-0 win over Brentford as he played what will be his last match at Old Trafford.
Out of contract at the end of June, Mata will become a free agent.
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Premier League fans have grown used to the technical gifts of the Spaniard, who arrived in England at Chelsea in 2011 and went on to play 135 matches for the Blues over three seasons. In 2014, he moved to Man Utd, where he was an important figure in the first team before playing a key supporting role in recent years thanks to his bubbly personality in the background.
Mata was a popular figure in the Premier League but now seems set to leave England for Spain after featuring only seven times in the Premier League during the 2021/22 season, totalling a mere 232 minutes. Indeed, he did not play a single league minute before April.
Who wants to sign Juan Mata?
The 34-year-old has not announced where his future might lie, but there is no shortage of interest from him in Spain.
According to Sport, Valencia, Real Sociedad and Real Betis are the main pretenders for his signature.
The links to Valencia are natural given that it was there he made his professional breakthrough, having failed to make the grade at Real Madrid. Once a giant of the Spanish game, Valencia have fallen back into the pack and have typically been a mid-table club in recent seasons.
Real Betis and Real Sociedad, meanwhile, are both likely to be competing in Europe next season. Betis have been one of the most exciting teams in the league to watch, with numerous exciting attacking players such as Nabil Fekir in their ranks.
Meanwhile, David Silva is notably at Real Sociedad and is under contract until 2023. This shows the club’s willingness to pick up veterans from the Premier League, but given that he and Mata operate in a not dissimilar manner, they may find themselves standing on each other’s toes.
