Juan Mata has revealed what he told Chelsea to allow him sign for Premier League rivals Manchester United.
The Spaniard joined the Red Devils from Chelsea in January 2014 for a fee of £37.1million.
Mata told UTD Podcast: “When Manchester United called and they said ‘We’re going to go for you and make an offer to Chelsea, we want you to come’, I spoke with them.
“I really wanted to go and really wanted to feel what it is to be a Manchester United player.
“I had suffered playing against United with Chelsea and they are definitely one of the biggest clubs in the world.
“At that moment, they were struggling with the first season of [David] Moyes and were not doing great in the league, but that doesn’t matter. I wanted to come to be a player for this club.
“I spoke to Chelsea and said: ‘Listen, there is this offer. It’s also good money and you can sign another player, because I’m telling you so that you have time to sign another player. I’m not playing a lot and want to take this opportunity. It’s perfect for everyone.’ So it happened.”
“I thought I was going to take a car but, from the club, they tell me ‘No, we’re preparing a helicopter for you. We want you to arrive at Carrington’.
“So the day everything was signed and I come for the medical, it was very windy and rainy.
“I was supposed to take the helicopter from next to my house in London, as there was a helicopter place, but we couldn’t so I had to go outside London. I remember that trip, coming with my parents over Birmingham, seeing everything because it was low.
“Then there was a point where we saw a green space with football pitches and a red building. We landed and Moyes was waiting for me and David De Gea, as soon as I went in.
“It was very special, to be honest, to arrive in that way. I’d never been to Manchester other than to play against City and United but, no, never before.”
