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Leeds target Juan Mata wanted Pablo Hernandez’s shirt after 2019 game
Surprise reports on Wednesday claimed that Leeds United are in talks to sign Juan Mata on a free transfer, with both sides hoping to agree a deal for the 34-year-old.
Signing Mata would attract a strong reaction from the Leeds fanbase. He is someone with more than a decade of Premier League experience under his belt. And he has provided well over 100 goal involvements in the division.
But he is now 34. And obviously, he has spent a large part of his career at Manchester United. So he would arrive with plenty of supporters feeling uneasy about his signing.
But there is one Leeds United legend who would definitely endorse his signing: Pablo Hernandez.
Hernandez played alongside Mata at Valencia. And the pair have remained friends ever since. In fact, ahead of the 2019 friendly between Leeds and Manchester United, Mata explained that he was planning to get his hands on Hernandez’s shirt at full-time.
“When I arrived here, I texted him and he texted me ‘See you Wednesday’,” he said, .
“He told me he wants my shirt and I want his shirt. I have a lot of his shirts, but I want the new one.”
Mata set to follow in Pablo Hernandez’s footsteps at Leeds
Of course, Mata is older than Hernandez was when he joined Leeds. The latter was 36 when his five-year spell ended last year.
But Hernandez looked as though he was going to be able to pull the strings at Elland Road for the rest of his career. He seemed to get better with age until his final season when he struggled for opportunities.
Perhaps Leeds may be hoping that Mata can pick up where Hernandez left off. He has clearly been a world-class player. And those moments of magic are likely to still happen wherever he goes next.
Obviously, Mata would never be taken to the supporters’ hearts in the same way Hernandez was. But perhaps Victor Orta is hoping that he can take on a similar role in being that experienced player never afraid to get onto the ball and try and make things happen.