Manchester United Transfer News: Juan Mata January Sale Not a Realistic Option

Juventus are reportedly ready to move for Manchester United's Juan Mata in the January transfer window, but a mid-season sale of the Spain international appears highly unlikely.

According to the Daily Express' Anthony Chapman, the Red Devils are willing to move the Spaniard in January as the Italians prepare a £20 million offer, with former club Valencia also expected to be in the mix:

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The Spain international has become a bit-part player at Old Trafford after joining from Chelsea last January, failing to impress new boss Louis Van Gaal.

The Dutchman, who has employed a number of various tactics since taking the reigns after the World Cup, feels his strongest line-up includes Wayne Rooney playing in Mata's preferred No.10 role behind strikers Robin Van Persie and Radamel Falcao.

[...]Valencia are also interested in the 26-year-old, who could be tempted by a return to his former club instead.

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Louis van Gaal reportedly doesn't rate Mata, and for the right offer, he's willing to unload the midfielder.

Of course, there are one of two problems with a potential transfer. For starters, the notion that Mata is a "bit-part player" seems odd given the fact he has started in five of United seven Premier League fixtures so far, per WhoScored.com.

To say that's only because of Wayne Rooney's suspension would be false—Mata started the matches against Sunderland, Burnley and Queens Park Rangers prior to Rooney's red card against West Ham United.

Mata has looked solid so far this season, and while he's not counted among the club's absolute stars or Van Gaal's favourites, he has shown little that would warrant a move away from Old Trafford based on lackluster performances.

United don't exactly have a wealth of depth at the position, either. Mata and Rooney are the team's top attacking midfielders—there's virtually no starting quality behind them. Adnan Januzaj has been named as a candidate to be converted into said role, but as of right now, he's still a pure winger.

If Mata goes in January, reinforcements will be needed. Kevin Strootman and Arturo Vidal are often named as potential targets, but both are box-to-box midfielders who would play one row back, next to Ander Herrera. Both also come with injury concerns, making a summer transfer more likely.

Chapman names Ilkay Gundogan as a potential target, writing for the Daily Express, but the German has only just returned from an injury himself, wouldn't present a clear upgrade over Mata and would likely cost more than the £20 million Juventus will reportedly offer for Mata.

The transfer market likely won't be very active this January, with plenty of top stars only just returning from injury. Will United make a play for Marco Reus? The Germany international is one of many who appears destined to stay put until summer.

As of right now, Mata provides Van Gaal with a quality starter when called upon and phenomenal depth off the bench. Goal's Richard Jolly reminded everyone what the Spaniard is capable of in an article he wrote last week:

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Indeed, he has done much right. He is dogged by the perception that he is a luxury player but his last full season of first-team football, in 2012-13 at Chelsea, he was one of the best four players in England. Two of the others, Gareth Bale and Luis Suarez, are now among the most expensive footballers of all the time. The fourth is Van Persie. He was the Premier League’s top scorer then but Mata’s efforts in all competitions brought 20 goals and a further 25 assists. Someone that productive is no indulgence. His are telling touches, not superfluous flicks and tricks.

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Unless the 26-year-old steps forward and openly demands a transfer, it makes no sense to potentially sacrifice results in the second part of the season for the sole purpose of moving a player the club won't make a profit on.

Perhaps Mata could be used in some kind of swap-plus-cash deal for Vidal, but such a scenario would present the only way he would depart the club in January. And swapping one of their top attacking midfielders for the injury-plagued Vidal doesn't sound like a smart piece of business in mid-season.

Mata is a part of the Red Devils' squad, and an important one at that. Unless there is a clear replacement in place, it makes little sense to move him at a discount in the middle of the Premier League season.

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