Juan Mata has told Man United why they must complete Dani Olmo transfer

Dani Olmo is a name that has been talked about a lot since the European Championships, with speculation continuing over his future.

Manchester United are one of the clubs said to be taking an interest in the Spanish midfielder, who did have a €60 million (£50m) release clause in his contract. That has since expired, but it is reported that his side, RB Leipzig, have set their asking fee at a similar price.

United are one of several clubs linked, but could be persuaded to make a move by former midfielder Juan Mata. The midfielder spent seven-and-a-half years at Old Trafford, winning three trophies, and is a mentor to Olmo.

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In a joint interview with The Guardian done alongside Olmo back in 2020, Mata sung his praises. “I look at Dani with pride and I have a lot of hope for him: the level he’s at, he’s already in the national team, and he’s someone I enjoy watching play,” he said.

“It’s very hard to play against him, as we saw at Old Trafford: he assists, he scores, he combines well, has vision, he’s very complete. And I’m sure he hasn’t reached his ceiling yet.”

Olmo has also joined Mata’s Common Goal charity. It has the aim of using the power of football to generate social change and improve people’s lives.

But the parallels between the two don’t end there. Olmo has followed Mata’s footsteps in the national team in becoming one of just a few players to win the Euros with Spain’s U21 team and then the senior side.

The Spanish midfielder is ten years Mata’s junior, but a move to United would come at almost exactly the same age