Juan Mata is a huge United fan who owned a Cantona shirt when he was at Valencia in 2010

This maybe the reason why Juan Mata is expected to receive the number seven shirt at Old Trafford.

Croatian website 24Sata.hr have a cute story for Manchester United fans this Sunday following Juan Mata’s move from Chelsea.

Back in 2010, when Mata was still a Valencia player, the forward played in a Spanish U21 match against Croatia that La Roja won 3-0.

Following the game Croatian journalist Antonio Bevanda held an interview Mata, when something caught his eye. Bevanda has since told the following story:

I remembered one cute anecdote with the Spaniard. It was on the 12th October 2010. The young Spanish team were in Varazdin, Croatia won 3-0. Rakitic lost his teeth.

There was a Spanish journalist who was with Mata and [Bojan] Krkic who had arranged an exclusive interview [ahead of the upcoming match] between Barcelona and Valencia, which was set for a few days later at the Nou Camp. Then, when Mata came out of the locker room a reporter gave him a red shirt, which Mata gave to his mother to put in his bag.

It seemed to me that it was an Eric Cantona, Manchester United shirt, but all I wanted to check with Juan.

“I saw that you put in the bag jersey. Is that a Manchester United shirt”, I asked the Spaniard.

Mata laughed and replied: “Yes, this is United’s jersey. I’m a huge fan.”

At the time, the Spanish midfielder excelled in Valencia, and one of the best young midfielders in Europe. “I hope that one day I will play at Old Trafford”, added Mata.

From his words I saw how much he loved United, and how he wished to join the ”Red Devils”. 

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