When Jose Mourinho took charge at Old Trafford, many believed that Juan Mata's time as a Manchester United player was over, with the pair not exactly enjoying a healthy relationship from their time together at Chelsea. Fast forward two and a half years and 'The Special One' is now set to reward Mata with a new contract at the Theatre of Dreams.
Mourinho kept Mata benched for several months upon returning to Chelsea, despite Mata twice having been named the club's player of the year. The Spaniard then left Stamford Bridge in a £37m deal in January 2014. Since being reunited in Manchester, the pair seem to be working harmoniously, with Mata enjoying a positive start to the season, scoring twice in the opening six games of the campaign.
Image credit: PA Images
Advert
Now, Mata's impressive beginning to the season is set to land him a new contract, with Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford also in line for improved deals.
Mata has two years left on his £130,000-a-week contract and is reportedly 'desperate' to remain in Manchester. The 28-year-old's long term future will likely be resolved by the new year and, if Mata is to continue performing in the manner he did against Leicester at the weekend, he'll likely have that contract signed way before January.
(H/T The Sun)
Topics: Juan Mata, Jose Mourinho, Football, Manchester United