Marsch plotting Leeds move for “special” £135k-p/w “magician”, he’s Hernandez 2.0 - opinion

One of the shock transfer rumours of the summer so far has seen former Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata linked with a move to Leeds United, with the 34-year-old having recently departed Old Trafford after eight-and-a-half years following the expiry of his contract.

While typically a highly controversial move owing to the intense and historic rivalry between the two clubs, that’s not to suggest that deals between the pair are out of the question, with the likes of Eric Cantona and Alan Smith just two of the names to have traded one side of the divide for the other.

Those moves are often mired in anger and upset, with the selling party – which has tended to be that of Leeds – feeling aggrieved at the loss of a prized asset to their bitter rivals.

It may not be a direct switch in this instance, but if ever there was a player to cross that no man’s land smoothly, it would probably be the diminutive Spaniard, with the much-loved midfielder unlikely to receive any ill-will from those back in Manchester.

As for those at Elland Road, they will be gaining an immensely talented, albeit ageing, force who has that innate knack for conjuring up something out of nothing, with the “special” veteran – as labelled by Liam Canning in the past – possessing that old cliche of a wand of a left boot.

While Mata’s game-time has diminished in recent years – notably making just 12 appearances in all competitions last term – the one-time Chelsea man still has the quality to unpick opposition defences when required.

A player who oozes class both on and off the pitch, the creative “magician” – as he has been described by former team-mate Marcus Rashford – has racked up 630 club career appearances to date, chipping in with 137 goals and 157