Remember when Jose Mourinho replaced Louis van Gaal at Manchester United and then everyone assumed Juan Mata would then be transferred out?
The idea made sense; given how Mata was relegated to the bench at Mourinho’s Chelsea. The midfielder’s playing time was very scarce when United brought him over for a then club record £37.5 million in January 2014.
That sum seems downright “cute” compared to Angel Di Maria’s £59.7 million in summer of 2014 or Paul Pogba’s £89.3 million this summer.
As the season approached, it became clear that Juan Mata wasn’t going anywhere, but most pundits believed that Mourinho wouldn’t use Mata much; or at least not include him in the first team often.
Well, Mata is having a very effective, productive season as a major contributor for United. He had a goal and an assist last Saturday, and he may be in line for a contract extension soon.
At his Wednesday press conference Mourinho brought up how Juan Mata asked to leave: “When a player asks to leave, I think always you have to think twice.”
He then described how Mata is at home, “in a natural habitat” in Mourinho’s current side, which is completely different from the team he had at Stamford Bridge.
“Chelsea were playing in a defensive block when we won the title in 2014-15,” Mourinho said.
“The squad and objectives we had at Chelsea is one thing, and the squad I have at Man United and what I try to do with this club is completely different.”
“It’s one thing having the players for that and it’s another having players trying to play in a different way. We are trying to play in a different way.
“He is very adaptive with his qualities. He has found a very good natural habitat with us.”
“So Juan at Chelsea in my project was one player, and Juan in my project at Man United is another thing.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.
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