Manchester United are reportedly planning a fresh round of contract discussions with the representative of Spanish midfielder Juan Mata. The 30-year-old has regularly been in-and-out of the starting lineup over the past 18 months but he has still impressed caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
According to The Sun, the Red Devils have been encouraged to hold a fresh round of negotiations with the midfielder with Ole pleased with the Spaniard’s impact on and off the field. It is added that Mata’s father and agent Juan Sr. is expected to make the trip to Manchester to discuss a contract renewal beyond the current campaign.
Mata has not made a similar impact with the Red Devils to that compared at former club Chelsea but he has nonetheless been effective with crucial strikes including a sublimely taken free-kick against Juventus in the Champions League earlier this season – which contributed to a dramatic 2-1 triumph during the final five minutes.
As such, it appears a no-brainer to commit the midfielder for another season but Mata may have to take a pay-cut on his current £170,000-a-week wages to push through the extension. Since Ole’s tenure began, the Spaniard has made the starting lineup on three occasions with his most recent one coming against Reading in the FA Cup where he scored the opener from the penalty spot.
Meanwhile, Mata does not remain the sole player in contract discussions with the Red Devils with compatriot David de Gea also in line for a probable extension. The shot-stopper has been in a contract standoff with the club over the past year but he seems to have changed his stance after witnessing the progress under Ole in the last month.
United are currently on a six-match winning streak across all competitions under their new manager and they can extend the run further when they entertain Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford this weekend. The reverse fixture at the AmEX Stadium saw them suffer a 3-2 defeat with Chris Hughton’s side running them ragged with three first-half goals.
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