Manchester United have announced that Juan Mata will be following Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard out of the club this summer.
The veteran Spanish playmaker’s contract is due to expire at the end of the month and will not be renewed following eight years at Old Trafford.
Mata, who turned 34 in April, scored 51 goals in 285 total appearances for United after joining from Premier League rivals Chelsea in a £37.1million deal during the short-lived reign of David Moyes back in 2014.
He won the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Europa League and Community Shield during his eight years at United, but evidently does not feature in the plans of new manager Erik ten Hag, who is instigating a comprehensive overhaul following the club’s worst-ever top-flight campaign.
The respective exits of Edinson Cavani, Pogba and Lingard have already been announced, with the likes of Nemanja Matic expected to follow as Ten Hag drastically reshapes his first-team squad.
There had been suggestions that Mata could stay put for another year after talks with Ten Hag, but he too will now seek pastures new.
Thank you for everything, @JuanMata8 — you'll be missed 🔴#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 2, 2022
“Manchester United can confirm that Juan Mata will depart the club when his contract expires this summer,” United said in their latest statement.
They added: “Thank you for dedicating eight years of your career to United, Juan. Everyone at the club wishes you all the best for the future.”
More to follow
