Mata signing for Chelsea

[Fighting Weight]

Juan Mata is on the verge of joining Chelsea from Valencia for a fee of €27m (£23.5m). Mata spoke to André Villas-Boas during the day and the Chelsea manager explained the role he has in mind for the attacking midfielder. Lawyers are finalising details on the deal, which is expected to be definitively closed on Saturday. The Chelsea manager had admitted this week: "We might just add a number in midfield."

The 23-year-old, who has studied at university and speaks reasonable English, has long been open to a move to the Premier League. His father and agent, also Juan Manuel Mata, had spoken to a number of clubs in England. Mata's initial preference was to secure a move to Barcelona but he was in no hurry to depart Valencia. The signings of Alexis Sánchez and Cesc Fábregas by Barcelona finally ended any possibility of a transfer to the Camp Nou.

Mata had already turned down the opportunity to join Tottenham Hotspur at the end of July. Tottenham sought to take advantage of a clause in Mata's contract that allowed him to leave the club before 31 July for a set fee of €25m: had Valencia unilaterally blocked a move at that stage, they would have been forced to increase Mata's salary. The player, though, did not want to move to Spurs.

Liverpool had previously shown an interest in the player but opted in the end to buy Stewart Downing from Aston Villa, with Kenny Dalglish putting a premium on players with Premier League experience. Despite showing an interest and although Mata's camp was open to the idea of a move to the Emirates, Arsenal failed to make a formal bid during that window of opportunity in July. Now Chelsea have done so.

Valencia were not keen to sell one of their key players and believe that, although their financial situation remains difficult, they were not obliged to sell.

They had also hoped to avoid a situation in which they lost the midfielder close to the start of the season but replacements had already been signed in the shape of Sergio Canales and Pablo Piatti and they had set a figure of €30m at which they could be persuaded, given that the July release clause would come into effect again next season.

Mata's desire to accept the offer to move to west London finally helped to bring the two clubs to an agreement which is being finalised.

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This is pretty much done and it's a big enough transfer that I thought I'd leave it out of the normal thread and give you all as depressing a present as I woke up to this morning.

Beg Levy sticks to his word and keeps Modric. Though he's pulled out of tonights game so :S

[Lieutenant]

[gattsu]

you gotta laugh

[Guest Portuguese]

AVB has to use Mata as an out and out winger. He is clearly not a number 10 nor 8.

Valencia used him there he didn't alright but his best work comes from the flanks.

As much as Emery jars me I have to give him ratings for having a continuity plan(Piatti/Canales/Parejo)

[Young £]

Harry Redknapp: Juan Mata deal will kill Chelsea Luka Modric move - ESPN Soccernet

Quote:

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp says that Chelsea's signing of Juan Mata will likely kill their prospects of signing Luka Modric as well.

Modric has been linked with a £35 million move to Stamford Bridge all summer and has expressed his desire to quit the club, however Chelsea announced on Sunday that they have agreed a deal to sign Spanish international Mata from Valencia for around £25 million.

Now Redknapp believes that Mata's arrival in England could mean that his player stays at White Hart Lane this month.

"Chelsea have signed him?" Redknapp told talkSPORT. "I didn't know that. Well, I would think that's the end of the Modric deal then, surely. I would [think the Mata deal has killed the Modric move]. I had no idea about that."

Tottenham chairman, Daniel Levy handles all transfer business at the club and Redknapp admitted that he thought he was close to bringing Mata in himself.

"We tried to get [Mata], to be honest with you. We were in for him strong about three weeks ago," said Redknapp. "I was driving back from the pre-season game with Brighton and the chairman said that he was confident he was going to sign the boy that night. He obviously turned it down but [the Chelsea move] has come out of the blue."

Modric has hit out at Levy over broken promises that he would be allowed to leave, but Redknapp is confident that he will stay.

"I think Daniel [Levy] has said he will sit down with Luka in a month or so and have a chat with him and a look at his contract," said Redknapp. "I want to keep him for sure. I just felt that if he didn't want to be here that much that maybe we might have to sell him. If people don't want to play for you, you might have to sell him and go and get three or four players in.

"As a player I couldn't be happier to keep Luka Modric, he's a fantastic footballer and as I've said many times you couldn't meet a nicer boy."

[JOHN DOE]

someone needs to seriously sit dwn with knappers and tell him from now on dont talk to the media whatsoever

[Mr Q]

Lmfao, the way 'arry always says we tried to get so and so, after they've signed for another club is hilarious.

[CARTEL IF]

the league looks so good this year

[BATTY BOY BUM BANDIT]

Depressing is not the word.

/

Portuguese why does emery jar you?

[MrJibbles]

The way Harry keeps rabbiting about "we tried for so and so" is as bad as hearing Wenger say "We were this close to blah blah blah"

[Guest Portuguese]

Depressing is not the word.

/

Portuguese why does emery jar you?

His tinkering and how he plays players out of position.

[Sinister]

Boop

Valencia Club de Fútbol have reached an initial agreement with Chelsea FC for the transfer of Juan Manuel Mata to the English club. The completion of the deal is subject to the player passing the relevant medical examinations.

From the Valencia Website

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Lol at opting for Downing over Mata.

/

The Modric transfer will go ahead, either now or in Jan