As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Juan Mata will not retire when his Manchester United contract expires at the end of the season.
The soon-to-be 34-year-old midfielder will depart Old Trafford at the end of the season, with no indication that he would be offered a new contract by the club.
Despite rumours that he might retire or join the coaching staff, Mata is still considering playing and will not retire now. When his contract ends in the summer, the Spaniard is certain to receive interest from La Liga clubs, and he could join a team of his choice on a free transfer.
Been told Juan Mata will not retire at the end of the season, it's not even an option. He's now focused on Man United and then he will plan for his future – his current Man Utd deal runs out in June. 🇪🇸 #MUFC
Mata will not join Man Utd coaching staff, it's not in his plans. pic.twitter.com/7xxVI0Q1zr
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 4, 2022
Real Sociedad and Real Betis, are among other Spanish clubs, that have shown interest in signing him this summer.
United’s number eight has only played four times this season in all competitions. Given the presence of Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba in a similar position that he plays in, his place in the squad is not fixed.
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As a result, his departure is unlikely to have a significant impact on the squad, as the team already has suitable young players to replace him. After joining Manchester United from Chelsea, the offensive midfielder has scored 51 goals and provided 47 assists in 277 games.
If Erik Ten Hag is appointed manager of Manchester United in the summer, he is expected to rebuild the squad. If the Dutchman decides to bolster his midfield, replacements for Jesse Lingard, Paul Pogba, and Juan Mata (all of whom are expected to leave as free agents) might be on the cards.
For his replacement and if in case Pogba leaves, Manchester United would look to sign a quality defensive midfielder for the new season. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Tchouameni, Boubacar Kamara, and Declan Rice are linked with a move to the theatre of Dreams.
