Barca may dangle $40 million on Mata

As two Man United stars set for summer exit

According to a report from Sky Sports, Daley Blind and Juan Mata are set for an Old Trafford exit. Neither Mata nor Blind are expected to feature in Mourinho’s plans for the forthcoming season as he builds a team, which he believes, can win the Premier League.

It is understood Mourinho would approve the sale of both players this summer should United receive acceptable bids, with the expectation he can sign players to directly replace them.

But that isn’t to say the report is wide of the mark. Indeed, it’s common knowledge by now that Mourinho likes his players either strong or quick (and preferably both). Neither Mata nor Blind are either of these things. United have been strongly linked to players in both positions; and we’d bet that Mourinho would rather André Gomes and Grzegorz Krychowiak than the attacking midfield-defensive midfield pairing currently represented by Mata and Blind.

It’s a $40 million question for Manchester United: Will Juan Mata and Jose Mourinho work well together?

Their time at Chelsea was fractured when Mourinho deemed Mata surplus to requirement and shipped the Spaniard to Old Trafford.

Mata, 28, has been a consistent performer for United, but will his reunion with Mourinho be short-lived? It’s easy to imagine both as ready to move on and Barcelona could be an option if that happens.

Mundo Deportivo says Barcelona could make a bid of close to $40 million in order to help the midfield continue to tick. Mata was a key part of United’s possession-based approach under Louis Van Gaal, and as a player really does fit the bill of a Mourinho-minded mid.

We’re just hoping that if Mata moves, he doesn’t switch anywhere that would change his English language blog posts.