La Liga giants Barcelona have made Manchester United’s Spanish midfielder Juan Mata their main transfer target, according to Mundo Deportivo. The Catalan paper claimed that Barcelona’s new technical commission, recently held a meeting to discuss strategy for the 2016 January transfer window, in which they’ll be able to conduct transfer negotiations, with a transfer ban by FIFA for contravening the rules on signing underage players.
Mundo Deportivo has suggested that Mata is one of the big names that has emerged as a potential target next January, with Carles Rexach and Ariedo Braida confident of a potential deal to back to Spain. The 26 year old has been struggling at Old Trafford and has failed to convince Louis van Gaal, which has resulted in him being benched along with fellow Spaniard Ander Herrera. In recent weeks, Van Gaal has been opting for a more physical approach provided by the likes of Marouane Fellaini.
Barcelona’s technical commission are convinced that Mata’s versatile playing style would make him ideal for the club, who were close to signing him back in 2010, during his spell with Valencia. Reports further suggest that manager Luis Enrique wants the deal to happen, as The Red Devils are keen on cashing in on the €47m star, they purchased from Chelsea, last January.