The Manchester United star turned down a lucrative offer just to stay at Old Trafford as he is convinced the club are going to win a trophy this season.
Manchester United’s start to the 2020-21 Premier League campaign has been nothing less than a catastrophe. They lost two of their opening three matches, one of which was a shambolic 6-1 home defeat at the hands of Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur.
Though, they have won both their Carabao Cup matches, first beating Luton Town 3-0 and then managing another win with the same score line against Brighton and Hove Albion to secure a their place in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Amid the heap of frailties in decision-making, torrid run of results and defensive errors, one man that has shown a dim light of optimism is Juan Mata.
When called upon, the Spaniard has proven that he still possesses the ability to unlock any defence and is capable of turning the course of a match on his own. This season, he has already racked up two goals and one assist.
Although each of his contributions has come from the Carabao Cup wins, one can’t ignore that the fact that Mata could have been a crucial player for the Red Devils if he did not have to compete with likes of Paul Pogba, Donny van de Beek, and especially Bruno Fernandes for a place in the starting XI.
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According to a report from Spanish outlet AS, Mata was offered a humongous sum of money from an unknown Saudi Arabian club during the summer transfer window. The club was keen to sign the Spaniard, having eventually put in an offer of €16 million, which would increase to €20 million through various performance-related bonuses.
But ignoring that lucrative proposal, Mata, being loyal to his club, decided to stay put at Old Trafford. As a result, he might get his chance to play in UEFA Champions League for Manchester United, as the club enrolled the 32-year-old playmaker’s name in their 25-man squad.
Juan Mata’s contract at Manchester United is set to run out in June next summer. And as of now, there has not been any rumours of him signing a contract renewal.
Should Mata keep on contributing as a silent influencer both on and off the pitch, it would be a mistake if United don’t come up with an extension proposal.