Man Utd's $54M Star Rejected Lucrative Saudi Deal To Remain At Old Trafford: Report

Manchester United attacking midfielder Juan Mata reportedly rejected a lucrative offer from an unnamed club in Saudi Arabia at the recently ended summer transfer window.

Mata was initially offered $18 million annually to make a switch to the Saudi Football League, Spanish publication SPORT reported. After the Man Utd player refused the offer, the club returned with a bigger offer, that is, $23 million per annum. However, the 32-year-old midfielder chose to remain at Old Trafford and see out his current contract that is due to expire in 2021. The Man Utd chiefs have the option to extend the deal by one year.

The SPORT report further stated that Mata believes he still has a lot to offer to The Red Devils and feels the side can challenge for trophies across all competitions, including the Champions League. The last The Red Devils played in the premier European tournament was in the 2018-19 campaign, where they had lost to FC Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

After making a name for himself in Spain, Mata moved from Valencia to Chelsea in the summer of 2011. He scored 33 goals in 155 appearances for Chelsea and was a part of the side that triumphed in the FA Cup, Champions League, and Europa League. With Jose Mourinho taking charge of Chelsea, Mata’s playing time reduced drastically.

During the 2014 January transfer window, Man Utd signed Mata for the then-club record fee of $54 million. Man Utd’s current record is $123 million they paid to bring Paul Pogba to Old Trafford from Juventus in 2016.

Mata did not feature in Man Utd’s humiliating 6-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspurs in the Premier League just before the international break. The 29-year-old, who netted three goals in 27 matches last season, is yet to make a competitive appearance in the ongoing campaign for Man Utd.

Man Utd have had a poor start to the 2020-21 Premier League season, having lost two out of their opening three fixtures.