Jose Mourinho is reportedly willing to give Juan Mata an opportunity at Manchester United ahead of next season.
The Portuguese coach was hired by United last month, following the dismissal of Louis van Gaal, and speculation surrounding the club’s transfer activity has escalated since.
He has already signed one new player, in Ivorian defender Eric Bailly, while sanctioning a one-year contract extension for Michael Carrick.
However, another current Red Devils star has been a key topic in the conversations of supporters, with Mata’s future under intense scrutiny.
Indeed, Mourinho sold the playmaker when the pair worked together at Chelsea, despite Mata having won two successive Player of the Year awards with the Blues.
The No.8 joined United in January 2013, penned a £170,000-per-week contract to become David Moyes’ final signing at Old Trafford.
Mourinho was critical of Mata’s defensive capabilities during their spell in west London, as the Spaniard could not provide the work-rate required to succeed in a system of solidity, rather than attacking expression.
According to the Daily Mirror, the manager is now prepared to hand Mata – the only United player to feature in all 38 league games this term – a second chance to impress once the players, who weren’t on international duty, return for pre-season at Carrington on July 7th.
The source suggests that Mourinho is still seeking the same requirements from the 28-yard-old – such as a commitment to tracking back – and will want to judge his development in training before making a call on his future.
Fellow midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger and Marouane Fellaini are seemingly in more danger of being moved on, the report claims.
This season, Mata was utilised out of his favoured central role, but was still United’s most creative outlet in the Premier League, making 53 chances.
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