Leeds United interested in Juan Mata, deal not being pursued currently
Leeds United do have an interest in free agent Juan Mata, but are not currently pursuing a deal for the playmaker according to the Daily Mail.
The Whites have been linked with a move for the Spaniard, who left Manchester United at the end of his contract earlier this month, with reports in Spain claiming they’ve already won the race for his signature.
However reports in England are now contradicting that statement, with the Mail saying a deal currently isn’t on the cards at Elland Road.
Mata has 52 goals and 54 assists in his Premier League career to date, having joined Chelsea in 2011 before joining Manchester United in 2014.
Magician
Mata has been labelled many things in his career, and none of them negative. Upon his exit from Old Trafford Bruno Fernandes described him as a “magician”, and Elland Road could do with a bit of magic.
After losing Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, the club have opted to replace them with players that are young and have a point to prove but a bit of experience wouldn’t go amiss either.
When the team are searching for a goal, or need an experienced head to calm things down and retain the ball late on Mata could be that guy.
He may not be the right man to start in Jesse Marsch’s high intensity games, but much like Pablo Hernandez was for Bielsa, Mata could be the little magician who produces when the team needs it most.
Right now a deal seems unlikely, but if it does then it would prove to be a shrewd bit of business and one that many Leeds fans could be happy with despite his past allegiances.
In other Leeds news, Victor Orta holds transfer talks with Jesse Marsch after ace ruled out for 8 weeks