After struggling to get onto the pitch for Chelsea throughout the first half of the English Premier League season, Juan Mata has transferred to Manchester United. United will reportedly hand over £37m for the Spain international, far exceeding their previous club record of £30.75m they spent on Dimitar Berbatov in 2008.
Jose Mourinho:
Things are going in a good direction. We allowed Juan to travel and have a medical and I think sooner rather than later things will be finalized. He's a fantastic player and despite not playing a lot for us in the last period could be a very important player for us. But Juan had this fantastic opportunity for him. It's what he wants. It's what he asked us to accept. Chelsea Football Club is proud to act this way, in an open way, in a human way.
Over the past few seasons, the attacking midfielder had established himself as one of the top players in the English Premier League. Last season, he totaled 12 goals with 12 assists in league play while helping Chelsea finish third in the table.
In all competitions, he finished with 20 goals and 28 assists for his club during the 2012-13 campaign. Fernando Torres was the only player on Chelsea with more goals.
However, Mata is more than just statistics. He is a creative player who was able to break down defenses when it mattered most. Whenever his side needed a big play, it seemed as though the Spanish player could provide one.
Considering he is still only 25 years old, his list of trophies with Valencia, Chelsea and the Spain national team is quite impressive.
Unfortunately, new manager Jose Mourinho has not felt the same about Mata's ability. The talented player has only started 11 of 22 matches this season and is often taken out of the game early.
Mata will now get a new start to his career with Manchester United. The midfielder's experience and skill should allow him to get onto the first team right away with his new club, and his presence will be felt immediately.
Chelsea will either look to replace the player before the transfer window closes or simply increase the roles of Oscar, Willian and others.
No matter what happens, the Blues will likely remain in contention for a league title throughout the 2013-14 season.
