Leeds United sources have quickly dispelled reports of interest in ex-Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata, according to The Times’ Martyn Ziegler . Spanish outlet AS first revealed the ‘interest’ in the 34-year-old free agent on Wednesday morning after he departed Old Trafford come the end of his contract in June.
The report claimed that Whites’ sporting director Victor Orta had contacted Mata’s father - adding that although negotiations are slow, both parties are keen on a move. The Spaniard has spent the last 12 seasons in the Premier League - three with Chelsea and nine in Manchester - making 277 appearances, with 50 goals and 64 assists to his name.
Although an outstanding midfielder during his peak years - he won the Blues Player of The Season two years running between 2011 and 2013 - Mata’s influence has waned significantly in recent years and he has made less than 10 league appearances in each of the past two seasons.
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And, according to Ziegler, sources at Elland Road have come out quickly to deny the rumours. Initial reports of interest lacked depth, with Mata’s position and profile not fitting in with Leeds’ current transfer business. If Jesse Marsch is to play the 4-2-3-1 deployed against Blackpool, both Rodrigo and Brenden Aaronson are likely to be preferred to the ex-Valencia man.
Signing a 34-year-old would not fit into the age profile of current arrivals either, with the average age of Leeds’ six summer signings so far being 22.5. The club’s insistence on denying the report so quickly and definitively quashes the rumour.
The club remain in the market for a striker, with the money from the imminent Raphinha sale - reported to be around £50million - going into Orta’s coffers. The Spaniard may also be keen to move for a left-back following Junior Firpo’s injury and subsequent eight week absence. The Whites are still working hard to bring in Charles De Ketelaere from Club Brugge, but are in direct competition with AC Milan - the Belgian’s preferred destination, thanks in part to their presence in the Champions League.
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