RIP Laura Buckley Noonan
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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Manchester United announced they had agreed a club-record fee to sign Spain midfielder Juan Mata from Chelsea on this day in 2014.
The World Cup and European Championship winner, 25, arrived by helicopter at United’s training complex the following day for his medical ahead of completing a £37.1million transfer.
That smashed the £30.75m fee United paid Tottenham for striker Dimitar Berbatov in 2008, with Mata signing a deal until 2018.
The former Valencia player, who had won the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup in his three seasons with Chelsea and was the club’s player of the year in 2012 and 2013, made his United debut on January 28 in a 2-0 Premier League win over Cardiff at Old Trafford.
He joined a Red Devils side managed by David Moyes but the former Everton boss was sacked in April.
It was a mixed time for Mata in Manchester, with the Spaniard winning the FA Cup – scoring in their 2016 final win over Crystal Palace – League Cup and Europa League but unable to help United reclaim the Premier League title.
Mata made 285 appearances, scoring 51 goals, for the club before leaving when his contract expired in 2022 to join Galatasaray.
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