Mark Finlay
23/1/14
There are many doubters out there over Manchester United signing of Juan Mata for £37 million in a deal that will see the Spaniards salary more than double going from £70,000 per week to £150,000 per week.
Even former United Player and now Sky Television pundit Gary Neville has said that he cannot see how Mata will fit into the United system, and then there is the question as to why Jose Mourinho would be willing to let him leave Chelsea if he was that good.
These are good questions, but are we forgetting that before Mourinho returned to Chelsea Mata had twice been named Chelsea player of the year and was part of the Spain squad that won the World Cup and European Championships.
His role at United I assume will be as an attacking midfielder playing behind a striker currently Robin van Persie or when he is injured Wayne Rooney or Danny Welbeck.
He is also an insurance policy should United not qualify for Champions League football this season and Wayne Rooney decides not to renew his contract.
On the other hand Robin van Persie will be 31-this-year, and as we have seen injuries are once again haunting the Dutchman which may lead Moyes to offer Rooney the lead striking role ahead of van Persie in the United attack as a carrot to get Rooney to stay.
Mata is only 25-years old and should now be entering his peak years as a footballer, and by signing him United is showing that they are committed to bringing top talent to Old Trafford as they attempt to rebuild.
