Jose Mourinho insisted Juan Mata leaves Chelsea with his and the club’s blessing as the Spain playmaker’s move to Manchester United appeared close to a conclusion.
Mourinho confirmed United have broken their transfer record – a €37 million deal for Dimitar Berbatov in 2008 – to recruit the 25-year-old, who was Chelsea’s player of the year in each of the last two seasons.
The Chelsea boss said: “Things are going in a good direction and we allowed Juan to travel and to have the medical with United. I think at Manchester.
“Things are really going in that direction. Sooner, rather than later, things will be finalised.
“He’s a fantastic player and despite not playing a lot for us in the last period could be a very important player for us. But Juan had this fantastic opportunity for him.
“It’s what he wants. It’s what he asked us to accept. Chelsea Football Club is proud to act this way, in an open way, in a human way.
“It’s good for Juan, it’s good for the Premier League and the offer in financial terms, is the right offer.
“The offer, compared with what the club paid two years ago (when Mata signed from Valencia), was fantastic.
“If Man United pays their record for a player it’s because they know exactly what they want.
“They are convinced he’s going to be important for them and we hope that he does very well for them. No fears at all. We are convinced he’s going to do well.
“When we play him we are going to try to win and he does the same.”
Some commentators have suggested Mourinho is no longer concerned by Manchester United after selling to a long-standing direct rival, who are 14 points adrift in the title race.
Mourinho added: “We are not afraid of him going there to do very well for Man United. We want him to go there, to do well for Man United.”
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger suggested the transfer was unfair, as Chelsea have already played United twice this season and will not have to face Mata this term, where other title contenders will.
Mourinho added: “Wenger complaining is normal, because he always does. It’s something that we know.
“When a player plays for a club on August 20 and two weeks later on September 5 plays against the same club with a different shirt, this is normal, because this is the market.
“We don’t do the market, we don’t do the rules, we have just to do according to the rules.
SOURCE-IRISHTIMES
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