Manchester United Transfer News: Juan Mata to Force Exit Amid Everton Rumours

Juan Mata is reportedly expected to pursue a move away from Manchester United this summer, and Everton could be set to hand him an escape route.

According to Paul Hirst and Gary Jacob of the Times (h/t ESPN FC), the Spaniard is tipped to leave after being substituted off in the Community Shield, having already come off the bench.

Meanwhile, Toffees boss Ronald Koeman wants to sign two attacking midfielders. One of them looks to be Yannick Bolasie of Crystal Palace, and the other could be Mata, as "Everton have explored the possibility" of signing him, per Hirst and Jacob.

The 28-year-old was substituted in the final minute of the 2-1 victory over Leicester City on Sunday having been on the pitch half an hour. Per BBC Sport, United manager Jose Mourinho explained his decision: "I needed to take off the smallest player because we were expecting a lot of long balls."

He added: "The rules allow six changes, I had made five and I wanted to stop the game. I think he played very well. He gave me exactly what I needed."

Following the substitution, speculation over Mata's future has renewed:

As is to be expected, it prompted a divisive reaction. Many, including football journalist Rafael Hernandez, believed the Special One had treated the playmaker unfairly:

So, too, did Bleacher Report UK's Garry Hayes, who also took the time to praise Mata:

Meanwhile, Sky Sports' Tom McDermott felt too much had been read into the substitution:

Should Mata remain at Old Trafford, he's unlikely to command a starting berth every week following Henrikh Mkhitaryan's arrival from Borussia Dortmund.

However, with the added matches from the UEFA Europa League and domestic cup competitions, he should get the chance to stake his claim as Mourinho rotates his squad.

Koeman's Everton could be an exciting project. But given his ability, if Mata were to leave, it seems he'd aim for a UEFA Champions League club with a more realistic chance of silverware.