Juan Mata hit the headlines last week when it was revealed that the Manchester United attacker had pledged 1% of his salary to charity. The Spaniard will donate the money to Common Goal, run by the organisation streetfootballworld, with the view to supporting football charities worldwide.
One of football’s good guys, much has been written about Mata’s off-the-field activities, and rightly so, but there are many that believe the attacker has never quite fulfilled the potential that he showed at Valencia.
United’s pursuit of another wide player, believed to be Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic, suggests that Mata will find it difficult to hold down a regular spot in the team this season, but his importance at Old Trafford should not be downplayed.
New forward Romelu Lukaku will be tasked with leading the line this term, leaving the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Jesse Lingard, potentially Perisic and Mata to battle for the two wide positions in Jose Mourinho’s first XI.
Mata’s future was believed to be in doubt last summer when Mourinho – the man who sold him to United while in charge of Chelsea – took control of first-team affairs at the Theatre of Dreams. However, the Spain international once again proved his worth at United, ending the 2016-17 campaign with 10 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions.
In fact, Mata has hit double figures in each of his three full seasons at Old Trafford, and his record from 146 United appearances is 36 goals - 27 of which have come in the Premier League.
The 29-year-old has made 193 Premier League appearances since moving to England from Valencia in 2011, and it would be fair to say that there are few attacking midfielders that can match his numbers. From 193 matches, he has scored 44 times and registered 51 assists.
His overall statistics, meanwhile, are even more impressive. In total, Mata has made 468 appearances in professional football, managing 117 goals and 139 assists, which is a goal ratio that the majority of strikers would be happy with, let alone a player whose main job is to feed his teammates.
Mourinho seems to be building a young, vibrant and pacey United team, and there is every reason for the club’s supporters to be excited about the likes of Rashford, Martial, Mkhitaryan and Lukaku flying in the final third of the field.
Sometimes a more considered approach is needed, however, and that is why Mata is so important to United next season. He might not play every week, but there are few players in Mourinho’s squad that have more experience at the top level of football.
Should Mourinho operate with a 4-3-3 formation next season, it is difficult to imagine Mata being included on a weekly basis. This United side will be more about pace and intensity in a wide position, while Mkhitaryan is ahead of Mata in the number 10 position when it comes to a 4-2-3-1 system.
There are few players that United supporters would rather the ball fell to inside the penalty area during an important match, however, with Mata showing time after time that he has the composure needed to finish on the big occasion. The same cannot be said for Lingard or Martial, while Rashford, for all of his brilliance, has missed some big opportunities over the last 12 months.
A prime example of Mata’s abilities came in last week’s pre-season friendly against Sampdoria. The score was level at 1-1 entering the final 10 minutes when Martial picked out Mata in an advanced area, and the Spaniard demonstrated his talents by carefully passing the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
Mata has won seven trophies since arriving in England, but the Spaniard has not yet tasted success in the Premier League. This United team will surely challenge for the title during the 2017-18 season, although their success will depend on whether the players behind Lukaku can chip in with goals.
In five of his six campaigns in England, Mata has netted double figures, and it would not be a surprise to see the attacker post similar numbers this season as he bids to play another important role at Old Trafford.
