Barcelona Transfer News: Latest on Juan Mata and Marc Bartra Rumours

Barcelona will reportedly move to sign Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata this summer, as the Spanish champions seek to bolster their squad in pursuit of UEFA Champions League glory.

That’s according to Mundo Deportivo (h/t James Gray of the Daily Express), who stated the Blaugrana are seeking to make a statement after bitter rivals Real Madrid were crowned kings of Europe on Saturday.

Mata, who was sold by new Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho during their time together at Chelsea, is said to be on their wishlist in a £25.9 million move.

This is how the story was covered, per 101 Great Goals:

“[Barcelona] see Mata as an ideal man to join their midfield especially as someone who knows La Liga well,” added Gray, having also noted the player understands the importance of getting regular minutes moving forward; he was left out of the Spain squad for their upcoming internationals.

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Bleacher Report’s Rob Blanchette expects the arrival of Mourinho to be a positive for a lot of players at Old Trafford but doubts whether Mata will fit in:

Indeed, Mata was the crown jewel of the Chelsea side when the Portuguese took over at the club for a second stint in 2013. But the Spaniard was quickly ushered into a peripheral role by Mourinho, with his lack of defensive awareness, work rate and physicality clearly an issue for the illustrious coach.

They’re traits that Mourinho has always placed a huge significance on in all of his managerial roles to date, and it’s tough to see that changing at United.

Indeed, Mata certainly seems to be a player with attributes more suited to Barcelona’s mantras rather than those of his new manager.

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Football Insider’s Liam Twomey summed up how bleak the former Valencia man’s situation looks at Old Trafford:

Barcelona would certainly benefit from having Mata in the squad, and his sharp cerebral playing style would make him a brilliant fit for La Liga. The player himself will have reservations about his next boss, too, and should the chance arise to move to an illustrious outfit like the Blaugrana, it’s an opportunity he’d surely grasp.

A player who could be making a switch in the opposite direction is Marc Bartra, with reports suggesting Mourinho will move for the centre-back.

According to the Express (h/t Sport), United and Tottenham Hotspur are both keen on landing the out-of-favour defender. It’s noted that the 25-year-old has a release clause of just €8 million in his contract at the Camp Nou after not playing a requisite amount of minutes in 2015-16.

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Ed Malyon of the Daily Mirror was surprised to see the Barca man included in Spain’s squad for the UEFA European Championship despite his lack of action this term:

While Bartra opted to stay at Barcelona last summer and continue to battle for his place in the first team, it’s become clear he has no long-term future at the club.

With a possible transfer to be triggered for such a meagre sum, there will be a long list of clubs seeking to offer the player a route out of the Camp Nou.

The eventual buyer will be getting a gifted defender. Here is a look at what a fully fit and confident Bartra is capable of:

United could certainly do with some defensive additions, with Daley Blind, at his best in midfield, filling in at the back for much of the campaign. A more natural partner for Chris Smalling will surely be high up on Mourinho’s list of priorities, and Bartra—an elegant and intelligent centre-back—would be a brilliant foil for the England international.

Barcelona fans will be sad to see La Masia graduate go. There have been glimpses of Bartra's quality during his time at the club, but the consistency in opportunities and performances have never quite materialised.