Manchester United icon Juan Mata completes shock transfer as playmaker takes bold new step

Juan Mata has signed for Australian club Western Sydney Wanderers for the upcoming A-League season.

Mata, 36, joins on a free transfer eight months after his short-term contract with the Japanese club Vissel Kobe expired. The former Manchester United player made just one appearance for the team, an affiliate of Aston Villa, but still received a medal after they became J1 League champions.

Before that, he spent a single season at Galatasaray in Turkey, where he went after leaving Old Trafford at the end of his contract and also won the Super Lig. Mata made 285 appearances for United, scoring 51 goals and assisting another 43.

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Reacting to this latest move, Mata said: “I’m really excited to join the Western Sydney Wanderers, the only Australian team to ever win the Asian Champions League, and I cannot wait to arrive and train with the team to prepare for the season ahead. I’m feeling grateful and excited for this new adventure, and looking forward to trying to win another Championship in a different league!”

The club's head coach, Alen Stajcic, said: “The addition of Juan to our club and team is priceless. He is one of the most respected, gifted and awarded players of a generation and brings not only football talent and success rarely seen in Australian club football, but also a humility to share his experiences and insights.

“Juan will help our team perform 'on the field' but even more critically, he will be an important figure in turbocharging the growth and development of our youthful squad. It’s a great day for our football club