It should not be a surprise to anyone knowing that Juan Mata is being linked with a move away from Manchester United. As soon as Jose Mourinho was signed by the Premier League side, the writing was one the wall for the former Chelsea star; after all it was Mourinho, who did sell off Mata when he too came at the London club.
Juan Mata though, is one of the most creative players you would come across and even under Louis van Gaal; he gave almost everything for the club and was willing to play out wide, even when it was not his preferred position.
Many clubs are in line to fight for the signature of the Spaniard, but one club which seems to be a viable destination for him, at least in terms of launching a bid is West Ham United. Slaven Bilic’s men have done exceptionally well since the Croatian picked up the side and are set to play in the Europa League in the next campaign, something that Manchester United would also be doing as well.
Another home in London for Mata?
Juan Mata is a player who can be incredible if he is played and utilised in the correct position. Louis van Gaal actually wasted him out on the wing, but the Spanish star did put in a few great performances in his first season with the Dutch manager.
This season however, wasn’t as good for the Spanish playmaker as expected and if he is moved to a central location by West Ham, it would certainly pay dividends for both the player and the club. Mata can certainly add a lot of quality to a West Ham side which is going to achieve a lot of things, if they continue their performance like they did in the first season under Bilic.
The 28-year-old did score 10 goals and assist a further 8 more for a Manchester United side that were clearly lacking in the attacking front this season. West Ham however, are a different kettle of fish as the likes of Enner Valencia and Dimitri Payet will certainly accentuate the performance of Mata, if he does join the London club.
Mata should not think about moving away outside England as West Ham do provide a great alternate, but the club isn’t as big as some of the other sides Mata has represented in his career. The 28-year-old certainly needs a home and West Ham are providing one that just might work out for him, if the owners of the club can show him the vision they have for the side in the future.
This project is a big one and with Mata joining and doing well under Bilic, the sky is the limit for the side as we have seen with Leicester City this season. West Ham would certainly have to fork out a decent sum to get the signature of the 28-year-old, but if they do send in a bid which is acceptable to Manchester United, Mata should contemplate moving to the side and playing regular football in a position he likes.
United would not only be getting a good sum of money, but also would get rid of a player who clearly will not fit Jose Mourinho’s plans. United might be losing out on quality, but it is better than letting him sit on the bench and rotting away.