Manchester United boss, Jose Mourinho, who earlier in the week stated that the Old Trafford is a natural habitat for midfielder, Juan Mata, has stated that he never wanted the player to leave Chelsea during his second spell as the club’s manager.
Mata, who had been Chelsea’s player of the year for two consecutive seasons, found his playing time limited when Mourinho returned to the club in 2013.
The Spaniard moved to United in the summer of 2014 and might well have feared the worst for his prospects when Mourinho took over the Old Trafford hot-seat this summer.
The Portuguese coach has started him in four of United’s six Premier League games so far and he was instrumental to their 4-1 victory over Leicester last weekend, scoring one goal and assisting in another.
Mourinho told a press conference ahead of Thursday Europa League home game against Zorya Luhansk that “I didn’t sell (him). My job is not to buy and sell. My job is to work on the pitch and advise my board about the transfer policy. He was one that asked to leave and, when a player asks to leave, you have always to think twice.
“My idea of football with the squad I had at Chelsea and the objectives we had at Chelsea is one thing, and the football I want to play at Man United, the profile of my squad and what I want to try to do in this club, is a completely different situation.
“In my project at Chelsea he was a good player, and in my project at Man United he’s a very good player.
“The football we want to play here is different and I think it is very adapted to his qualities. I think he found a very good natural habitat to his football to play with us.”
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