- Former Manchester United ace Juan Mata suffers injury
- Lethal in front of goal this season for Australian side
- Took to social media to let fans know about situation
Former Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has undergone surgery on his elbow following an A-League game for Melbourne Victory against Wellington Phoenix.
Mata has been a creative force in Australia, where he has provided 17 goal contributions in 23 league games so far this season, but the injury will rule him out for some time.
The Manchester Evening News followed up on a report where it’s understood there are ‘further surgical consultations’ for the Spanish midfielder.
Mata took to social media to post a picture of himself from his hospital bed, letting his fans know he is on the road to recovery for the team currently in fourth.
From Old Trafford to Down Under
In January of 2014, the Spanish international made the switch to the North West from Chelsea, where he had limited chances under Jose Mourinho. His first few months at the Red Devils were impressive, as he made 10 goal contributions in 15 Premier League games during a difficult period at the club.
The following season, he continued to show special quality while on the pitch, with his arguably best moment coming in a trip to Anfield. He scored twice past Liverpool in March 2015, including a stunning overhead kick that was voted United supporters’ goal of the season.
When Mourinho decided to make the move to Manchester as well, Mata’s minutes started to dwindle, but he was still capable of making an impact. His last Premier League goal came in 2021 in a 2-1 win over Wolves.
When his contract expired in 2022, he moved to Turkish side Galatasaray, but moved after six months to Japanese club Vissel Kobe, where he played just once.
After some time, he moved to Australian club Western Sydney Wanderers but still lacked playing time, with many of his appearances coming from the bench.
He moved to fellow Australian club Melbourne Victory last September, where he said, “I am driven and motivated to help this team win trophies.” He’s been a key player since, and although the injury is a setback, he will be hoping to lead them to success once he returns.
Where does he rank Sir Alex post-signings?
The Spaniard was a case of someone who was technically brilliant and worked hard to make sure his team would win.
He created fond memories at Old Trafford and was part of multiple teams that would lift trophies.
The best probably goes to one of his former teammates in Bruno Fernandes, who hasn’t been just one of United’s, but one of the Premier League’s best players in the last decade.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s time at the club was short-lived, but he made a serious impact while on British shores, including a goal in the 2017 League Cup final.
Andre Herrera had an influence while at United, while Paul Pogba and Luke Shaw earned their flowers with many special moments.
Mata ranks either second or third, being the Swedish striker, but no matter what, he’s a modern-day hero at Old Trafford, and Victory supporters will be hoping for a swift return.
