Juan Mata had to leave Chelsea when Jose Mourinho arrived, and now it will happen all over again as Mourinho found Mata in Manchester United and showed him the door. The Spanish playmaker will definitely leave the club, and will most likely stay in England as none of the Spanish clubs who could afford him are interested in his services.
West Ham was mentioned as one of the options because coach Slaven Bilić needs a big signing, yet no one wants to actually go to West Ham, so it seems. Neither does Mata.
The media claim Juan Mata is one step from signing for Everton, and coach Ronald Koeman said “Yes, that transfer is very likely”. Everton could pay ₤21m for Mata, who is currently valued at ₤28.9m by Transfermarkt and signed for Chelsea from Valencia for ₤22.7 in 2011 and then signed for Manchester United for ₤38m in 2014.
The 28-year-old was one of the bright spots in United last season, scoring 3 goals and making 4 assits in the first 7 games of the season, but then he blended in with the rest of the underperforming United side. He finished the season with 6 goals and 7 assists.
The Spanish playmaker doesn’t have a set position. Most notably, in Manchester United he’s been played on the right wing by Louis van Gaal to accommodate for Wayne Rooney in the middle, and in Chelsea he was mostly used as a number 10, also often playing on the left and right wing. But he made a name for himself in Valencia as a left winger.
With Ross Barkley having a central role in Everton, sometimes playing on the left, Mata could once again find himself playing on the left wing most of the time. Everton have four players on the right wing – Kevin Mirallas, Gerard Deulofeu, Aaron Lennon and Aiden McGeady. But the left wing was no one’s preferred role the responsibility was equally shared by each of the five offensive midfielders in Everton.
Should Mata sign for Toffees, the left wing belongs to him and Ronald Koeman is one happy manager.
