Manchester United has confirmed that Juan Mata will leave when his contract expires at the end of this month, making him the club’s latest departure announcement.
Mata, who joined United from Chelsea in January 2014 for £37.1 million, has joined Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard in leaving Old Trafford.
The Spaniard, who was a fan favorite at United, made 285 appearances for the club, but many fans believe he did not reach his full potential due to being played out of position for much of his time there.
Following United’s announcement, Mata issued a video message from the Old Trafford pitch, thanking supporters for their support, “particularly during difficult moments.”
‘I’m on my own.’ ‘In fact, it feels like a dream,’ Mata remarked. ‘I wanted to express my gratitude to all of you for your support throughout the years, particularly during the tough moments we shared.’ I’ll never forget who you are. Thank you so much for everything. ‘From the bottom of my heart, I wish you all the best, and I bid you farewell.’
As United seeks to rebuild under new manager Erik ten Hag, Nemanja Matic, Edinson Cavani, and Lee Grant are also departing.
Mata, 34, won the FA Cup, League Cup, and Europa League with the club, but fell short of his goal of winning the Premier League with United.
‘Thank you for dedicating your career to United for the past eight years, Juan,’ United stated in a statement. ‘Everyone at the club wishes you the best of luck in your future endeavors.’
Mata’s arrival from Premier League rivals Chelsea in the January transfer window of 2014 was hailed with enthusiasm by fans. Mata was a World Cup and European Championship champion with Spain.
His spectacular volley in a 2-1 victory away at Liverpool in March 2015, nicknamed ‘Juanfield’ by United supporters, was possibly his most memorable moment during his first full season at Old Trafford.
Mata won his first prize at United in 2016, as he scored the equalizer in a 2-1 FA Cup final victory over Crystal Palace.
In 2017, he was a member of Jose Mourinho’s team that won the League Cup and the Europa League.
Mata went on to make over 30 appearances in each of 2017/18, 2018/19, and 2019/20 seasons until his importance in the team began to fade.
In his final season at United, he only appeared in 12 games, with his final appearance coming in a 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace on the final day of the season.
Mata, unlike Lingard, who was given a thunderous greeting during and after United’s last home game of the season, received an Old Trafford send-off, much to the chagrin of the player and his family.
The Spaniard’s next location is unknown, although he has indicated that he intends to continue playing.
In April, Mata added, ‘I still have a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of determination to keep enjoying football.’
‘Being a professional football player is a dream come true for me, therefore I want to play as much as possible.’