Juan Mata Reveals His Mentor Role for Young Stars & New Arrivals at Man Utd
By Ali Rampling
Juan Mata has revealed how he has taken on a mentoring role at Manchester United, by helping new arrivals and young players settle into the first-team squad.
Mata has played for United for six years following his 2014 transfer from Premier League rivals Chelsea, and at 31, is one of the more experienced players in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's young side.
The Red Devils brought in Bruno Fernandes and Odion Ighalo in the January transfer window, while Solskjaer has happily given youth a chance during his tenure, and Mata says he is now passing on guidance to the newer faces in the squad.
Speaking on the Official Manchester United Podcast, Mata said: "I have been playing in a club, and in English football and professionally for 12, 13 years now so that gives me experience, especially in difficult situations, to behave in a certain way or give advice to the young players.
"I think he [Solskjaer] values that also. Me as a player, what I can give on the pitch, but also that I will try my best off the pitch for the new players that come.
"Like right now Bruno [Fernandes] and Odion [Ighalo] and for the youngsters that come through the academy like, Brandon [Williams], Chongy [Tahith Chong], Angel [Gomes] and Jimmy [Garner]."
Mata has a wealth of experiences to draw from, having won the Champions League, World Cup and European Championships during his career.
However, the Premier League title has so far eluded him, but even as he approaches the twilight years of his career, the Spaniard say he has not given up on lifting English football's top prize with United.
"I would love to win it and of course I want to win it before I finish playing," Mata added. "David De Gea always tells me when he arrived here, I think they lost the Premier League by one point in the first season but in the second season they won. He told me it was incredible.
"Maybe I will play until my 50s if needed but if I don't win it it's alright also. You know I'm not really obsessed about it, it would be very nice to have won almost everything."