Valencia Club President: "Arsenal and Liverpool Transfer Target Juan Mata Not for Sale"

Mata, to stay or leave?

Valencia president Manuel Llorente has insisted that the club’s star winger Juan Mata is “not for sale.”

Mata, 23, has been linked with a move to England with Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United all thought to be monitoring the attacker. Mata was a part of the Spain squad that won their first World Cup in South Africa exactly one year ago and the player further cemented his reputation as one of Europe’s most fearsome wide men with some excellent displays during Spain’s European Under-21 Championship triumph in June, leading to speculation that the Gunners would like to add him to their ranks.

However, Llorente believes the forward will still be a Valencia player once the window closes. Llorente, who insists that his club will look to strengthen the squad during the transfer window, not weaken it, told Superdeporte:

“The news that has appeared in the papers is nothing more than speculation – Juan Mata is not for sale. Our plan this summer is to make our squad better and our priority at the moment is to bring in a central defender.”

Llorente’s assertion comes three days after Mata’s father, Juan Senior, claimed Arsenal had made contact with Valencia over a deal for the former Real Madrid winger.

“There have been calls from foreign clubs but now the decision rests with Valencia. [Juan] is on his holidays,” he was quoted as saying by the Mirror last Friday.