Rumour: Juan Mata set for showdown talks at Chelsea as move to Atletico Madrid looms

According to the Mirror, Juan Mata will hold showdown talks with the Chelsea hierarchy this week with regards to his future at the club.

Mata’s father, who is also his agent, is believed to be looking for potential clubs willing to take the Spain midfielder in January as Mata continues to play a bit-part role at Stamford Bridge.

Mata, Chelsea’s player of the year for the last two years, has had a drastically reduced role in this campaign with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho making it very clear that Brazilian playmaker Oscar is his first choice #10. With Eden Hazard playing every minute of every game when he’s fit and the London club bringing in former Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Willian, Mata has been a spectator from the bench far too many times in the ongoing season. The Spaniard has made only 17 appearances so far this season for Chelsea in all competitions and has a solitary goal and two assists to show for.

Jose Mourinho has already made it clear that while he would not really like to let go of Mata, the ‘door is open’ for Mata should he decide to leave. Mata was visibly frustrated when he was taken off after only 53 minutes in a league game against Southampton & both Mata & his father, Juan senior, are reportedly concerned about whether not playing regularly will cost the playmaker a spot in the Spain squad for the World Cup to be held at Brazil this June.

A move to Spanish club Atletico Madrid looks to be on the cards with a loan deal till the end of the season looking most likely for now. However, all sorts of reports are doing the rounds with some suggesting that Jose Mourinho wants to use Juan Mata in an attempt to lure the Madrid side into selling star forward Diego Costa. Napoli too have already confirmed their interest in securing the services of the midfielder while big spending French giants Paris St Germain could also be an option.