Rohan Sengupta
Manchester United risk losing midfielder Juan Mata for free this summer after it emerged that the club have yet to activate a 12-month option to extend his contract until next year. The Spaniard will be out of contract in the summer and United bosses are stalling on triggering a 12-month extension, as per ESPN.
The Red Devils hold an option to extend the deal to the summer of 2019 but it is understood that Mata has not been told of the club’s intentions. The delay means that the 29-year-old is free to negotiate terms with non-English clubs this month.
The report adds that Mata wants to prolong his stay at Old Trafford despite interest from Valencia and Inter Milan. United are still expected to exercise their option before the end of the season as it would make no sense to allow Mata to walk away for free, for whom United spent £37.1million to lure him away from Chelsea four years ago.
More importantly, the 29-year-old is probably worth keeping given what he can contribute on the pitch. Mata has scored 3 goals in 24 games this season and has started 9 of the last 11 games in all competitions. The playmaker is closing in on four years at Old Trafford and since his arrival, he has racked up 39 goals and 30 assists – pretty impressive numbers. The returns are likelier to increase if continues his good form of late.
The ex-Chelsea man’s ability to provide a creative outlet for the team and cut open defences with guile makes him a wonderful player to have in the squad. Moreover, due to his craftiness and creativity, he is a utility man for Jose Mourinho, whose team have been often guilty of over-relying on Paul Pogba in that aspect.
However, the Spaniard has a chequered history with Mourinho, who sanctioned his departure from Chelsea in January 2014. Although Mata has worked well under Mourinho at United, the imminent arrival of Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal will only increase the competition for places in the attack.
This could leave Mata’s future in dilemma in the summer, but given that he is a fan favourite at our club, he is not expected to leave. This means that the club’s hierarchy needs to extend our Special Juan’s deal as soon as possible, to tie him down and avoid the possibility of losing him for free.
