Juan Mata must have been fearing his future at Manchester United when Jose Mourinho was appointed manager, but the ‘special one’ assured the Spaniard yesterday that he remained a key part of the United squad.
The Spanish playmaker and Jose Mourinho famously fell out at Chelsea with Mourinho selling Mata to Manchester United. However, the Portuguese manager suggested that the plans to play a different style of football at Manchester United which makes Mata an integral part of the Red Devils squad.
“There are big differences,” said Mourinho.
“At Man United I have more players to play transitional football. Football is the main objective, we are not so physically strong and compact and playing in a defensive block like we did when we won the title (with Chelsea) in 2014/15,” Mourinho explained.
“The football we want to play here is different. We are in the beginning of that process. I think Mata is very adept to do that with his qualities. We need players with these qualities. He has found a very good natural habitat.”
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The Manchester United manager also denied having a say in selling Mata when he was at Chelsea. When he was asked why he sold Mata for £37.1 million in January 2014, Mourinho said:
“I didn’t sell him because my job is not to buy and sell,” he said.
“My job is to coach and my job is to work on the pitch. My job is to advise my boards on the transfer policy. I don’t buy and I don’t sell and I never did.
“Secondly it was that he was one who asked to leave and when a player asks to leave I think you always have to think twice.
“The third point is that my idea of football, with the squad I had at Chelsea, with the objectives we had at Chelsea is one thing. The football I want to play at Man United, the profile of my squad and what I want to do in this club is a complete different situation. My project at Chelsea he was a good player, my project at Manchester United is a very good player.”
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Juan Mata has been in good form for Manchester United this season and with Wayne Rooney struggling to make an impact in midfield, the Spaniard might prove to be one of the most important players for Mourinho this season.
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