Tag: Jose Mourinho

Manchester United trigger Mata’s extension clause

The playmaker’s contract with the Red Devils has been extended by 12 months until June 2019 after a clause was activated in his deal

Manchester United have triggered a clause in Juan Mata’s contract, extending his stay at Old Trafford by an extra year until June 2019.

Mata’s deal was due to expire at end of the season, but the Red Devils have opted to activate their option to prolong his stay by a further 12 months.

And United boss Jose Mourinho, who sold Mata to United from Chelsea in January 2014, talked up the attacking midfielder’s importance to his plans.

“Mata is very important. When I arrived one-and-a-half years ago, [they said], ‘Mata is in trouble, in trouble, in trouble’, and now he’s getting an extension of one more year,” Mourinho told a news conference ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Wembley to face Tottenham.

“An important player for me; important player for the club; important player for the other players.”

The arrival of Alexis Sanchez at Old Trafford from Arsenal has led to rumours that Mata could return to former club Valencia, or join Inter.

But Mata spoke of his desire to remain a United player.

“I still feel very happy and very proud to be part of this club,” he told MUTV. “I think everyone that belongs to Manchester United should feel privileged, and that’s how I feel.

“I’m happy with everyone at the club and, obviously, with the manager and my team-mates. Once you are part of this club, your football career is not the same; it changes, because this is one of the biggest clubs in football history.

“Every day I try to tell myself how lucky and how privileged I am, try to take advantage of every single training session, and try to see how important it is to be a Manchester United player.

“At eight, 10, 12 years old, I never imagined that I would play for such a club. I remember the big players – [Paul] Scholes, [Ryan] Giggs, [David] Beckham, [Ruud] Van Nistelrooy, [Rio] Ferdinand, [Nemanja] Vidic – and it felt so far from where I was playing, but now I’m here it’s a special feeling.”

Since arriving from Stamford Bridge, Mata has scored 39 goals in 172 appearances for United, winning the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League during his time in Manchester.

[Source: www.goal.com]

‘I think we have a chance’ – Jose Mourinho on bringing Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says he is “relaxed” about the transfer saga surrounding Alexis Sanchez as Chelsea reportedly emerged as rivals for his signature.

Arsenal forward Sanchez seemed certain to join Manchester City this month but the Premier League leaders decided to end their interest on Monday because of the costs involved.

It is understood that two other clubs, thought to be Manchester United and Chelsea, are prepared to pay more than City – in terms of transfer fee, wages and other costs.

Mourinho refused to be drawn too much on the subject of the 29-year-old after his side’s 3-0 win over Stoke but says there is “a chance” he could end up at Old Trafford.

When asked how confident he was of being able to bring Sanchez in this month, Mourinho said: “Not confident, but also not unconfident.

“Just relaxed, and with the feeling that he is an Arsenal player, with the feeling that he can stay there, but also with the feeling that he can move, and if he moves, I think we have a chance.

“I think most probably a player like him has other big clubs interested. Who knows?

“I think him, (Arsenal manager Arsene) Wenger, (Arsenal chief executive Ivan) Gazidis – I think they are the ones that know really what is going to happen.”

Mourinho went on to reveal that Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who was left out of the United squad against the Potters, could be used as a makeweight in a potential agreement for Sanchez.

The Portuguese said: “I didn’t select him today because I wanted players fully focused.

“I understand that with so much talk and so much speculation, it is not easy for Mkhitaryan to play, to play at home, with this feeling that (it) can happen, maybe it doesn’t happen.

“So I prefer to protect him and protect the situation, and in the end of the transfer market, if he stays here, he is a very good player. Let’s see what is going to happen.”

City went close to signing the Chile forward in August after having a bid of £55million plus £5million in add-ons accepted but a deal could not be completed as Arsenal did not find a replacement.

An injury to Gabriel Jesus reignited the potential of a deal but City were not prepared to pay a transfer fee of more than £20million, while Arsenal were thought to want £35million.

That opened the way for other clubs to enter the race to sign the wantaway player, with Chelsea the latest club reported to be in contention.

City were convinced that Sanchez did want to join them but it appears his desire to leave Arsenal this month now outweighs that.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said after his side’s loss to Bournemouth on Sunday that a deal for Sanchez could be concluded within 48 hours.