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What should we do with Mata if Mourinho is appointed?

dannyrhinos89

OMG socks and sandals lol!
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Have Valencia got any decent players maybe sell him back to them in a player swap deal. Heard Mustafi is a decent CB.
 

Skills

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All up to Mourinho.

Anyone suggesting to keep him as a squad player is fecking crazy though. He's on around £180k a year. 2nd/3rd highest player at the club.
 

waza7111

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He's not a Mourinho type players but I think he will stay to become a squad player. Mata is alse de Gea's best mate so I think we should be doing everything possible to make him stay.
 

Attila

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I hope he gets sold. I'm not impressed with Rooney, Mata, Lingard and Fellaini in the attacking positions over the course of this season

Looks like Rooney will be impossible to sell so Mata and Fellaini should go
 

M Bison

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Yeah, not as if he's been our 2nd highest goal scorer since he signed...

We probably did get mugged off by a few million, however, given the state of our team since he signed, he's been quite good.
I can't argue with his stats (in terms of goals/assists) but his wider game is poor and just doesn't contribute in the way an attacking midfielder in a top club should. His time with Chelsea is a prime example, did well when they were below par but when they moved up a gear, was shipped off as he wasn't deemed good enough and i fully expect the same to happen to him now for us.
 

Oo0AahCantona

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No way you sell him, because that means you need to replace him, and odds are likely that we wont fetch a big fee for him, and would likely overspend on his replacement that may or may not be a significant improvement. He's a great little player, we need more quality not less in the squad.
 

Raees

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Sell sell sell.. Will not work well together.
 

Crashoutcassius

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No way you sell him, because that means you need to replace him, and odds are likely that we wont fetch a big fee for him, and would likely overspend on his replacement that may or may not be a significant improvement. He's a great little player, we need more quality not less in the squad.
but he's not a defensive player so mourinho will sell him
 

Adisa

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The likes of Young, fellaini will be sold before him. Wont surprise me if Mata would be the more eager to leave . I think Mourknho would want to keep him for now.
 

R'hllor

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Sell him to Atletico or Juve.

He's been a decent player at Old Trafford, but generally terrible in big games and away from home.

I wouldn't mind him staying as an impact sub, at least he can hit a mean free kick.
Good luck with that,they would ask him on 3 years loan and to pay 20% only of his wages.
 

endless_wheelies

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People are jumping the gun on Mata. Mourinho nuked him at Chelsea because Oscar played the AM role better than him and Mata didn't have the physicality to track back down the right wing as much as was required.

It's no certainty Mourinho won't find a role for him this time round.
 

Cheesy

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I personally like him, and think he could have a useful role in the club, but I don't see Mourinho agreeing. A shame, but I expect he'll move on.
 

WyoManU

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sell him. He does almost nothing for 95% of most matches. The occasional moment of brilliance does not offset his general uselessness.
 

Leftback99

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If we can get decent money sell him, otherwise keep him for the Europa league and league cup games.
 

soap

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He's one I wouldn't mind going, we desperately need a fresh approach with more dynamic football and for all his undeniable qualities he slows the play down too often. A return to Spain would benefit him, the Atletico link makes sense.
 

sullydnl

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I do understand the problem people have with Mata and why they don't see him as a long term option for us.

What I don't get is why they're so willing to sell him immediately. Look at his goals/assists stats, bearing in mind we're a team that struggles for goals/assists generally. Remember all the times when he produced a key moment in a game (even if he hadn't played well generally).

Why would you sell a player like that rather than keep him as a squad option at least? Surely someone with his ability to produce a decisive moment is at least worth keeping until we've strengthened to the point where those goals/assists become unnecessary.

He might not be good enough to start for the likes of Madrid/Bayern but I'm sure they'd at least find a space on the bench for someone that productive. Given how far behind those teams we are, surely it would be stupid to sell him now if he's willing to stay?

What gain do we get from selling our 2nd highest goal scorer in the last 2 1/2 years?
 
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RikRuud

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Mata's workmate has flown up since being here. Mourinho's issue was that he did not work hard enough without the ball. I think Unless Mata wants to leave then he will stay.
 

harms

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Keep him as a team mascot, we badly needed one since Anderson's departure. 3 amigos :drool:

I believe that he would get his fair chance under Mou - his mentality changed since his transfer (even though not his physical qualities). But if he fails, I hope that we sell him without hesitation, for the sake of his career (to a club that Mou won't sign for in a foreseeable future)
 

Litch

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Mata's workmate has flown up since being here. Mourinho's issue was that he did not work hard enough without the ball. I think Unless Mata wants to leave then he will stay.
Agree. For me one of the only few of our players that technically could play in any of the top teams once you play him in the right position.
 

FC Ronaldo

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I really like Juan and would like him to stay but if Jose doesn't then at 28 he's prime for his last big transfer move. Valencia or Atleti could be calling.
 

PlayerOne

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I reckon it depends on the transfer we do, but I would rather us get a right winger with pace and power. But that then becomes an issue for Mata, if we keep Rooney then he's not getting dropped, so we would either play Rooney in a midfield two or more likely Mata gets dropped or sold.
 

AN17

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I'd keep him just to make sure the other two amigos are happy, especially DDG. A man needs his daily dose of hugs and Mata sure knows how and when to dish em out.
 

JPRouve

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Sell him and replace him with a playmaker, we need someone in the mould of Rakitic or James. I like Mata but his profile isn't what we need and he deserves to play regularly.
 

Lentwood

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Should go irregardless of who the manager is. Juan Mata isn't a bad footballer but I don't believe he is a great one and he doesn't have the pace, power or trickery (or even vision sometimes) to unlock a stubborn defence.
 

Trigg

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Should go irregardless of who the manager is. Juan Mata isn't a bad footballer but I don't believe he is a great one and he doesn't have the pace, power or trickery (or even vision sometimes) to unlock a stubborn defence.
That just isn't true. Granted we might not have seen the best of him here at times but I suggest you watch some of his football from his time at Chelsea.
 

CM

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We should sell him on while he still has some resale value. Mata has been very disappointing this year and I thought yesterday's performance summarised his season - fairly lacklustre/anonymous but got a goal to cover for it.

There are many players out there who are more effective in his position.
 

pacifictheme

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It's not just about his defensive work-rate. He's a very limited player even as a #10. Can't beat players, hold on to the ball, and very rarely makes incisive passes. He's a second tier player who requires the whole side to be built around negating his weaknesses to be effective.
Harsh assessment of someone who when playing at chelsea was incrediblw. We've been shit, not just him. Put him in a good team and hes proved he'll flourish.
 

JPRouve

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Harsh assessment of someone who when playing at chelsea was incrediblw. We've been shit, not just him. Put him in a good team and hes proved he'll flourish.
The team needs to suits him. Do we have a team that suits him and is he good enough for us to build a team that suits him?
 

The White Pele

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It's up to the manager. As it should be. I hope we do find a role for him but I think that would be as a squad player
 

Mickeza

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That just isn't true. Granted we might not have seen the best of him here at times but I suggest you watch some of his football from his time at Chelsea.
That was over 3 years ago, and Chelsea finished 6th and a long way back in 3rd during those seasons. No side will ever win a title building a team around Juan Mata, which is what's required to get the best from him. He isn't good enough and wouldn't get into the starting lineup of any of our domestic rivals let alone European ones. Heck, he barely gets into ours and this is the worst group of attacking options we've had in my lifetime. I have no idea why him and Herrera are so highly rated, they've both been huge disappointments.