For the first time in years, Manchester United have flexed their financial muscle and signed Chelsea star Juan Mata for a club record fee of
The World Cup, Chammpions League and Europa Cup winner made no secret of why he signed for a “massive club” like United.
“I would like to win the Premier League,” Mata told MUTV.
“It’s a very, very special trophy and I think at this club you can achieve anything. I am young and I have been lucky enough to win some trophies but I want to win a lot more.”
“I understand that football is a team sport and I respected that situation. But the chance to come to Manchester United was a great chance for me to carry on with my career, they are a massive club.”
Under the Glazers, Manchester United have not acted like the biggest and richest club in the Premier League. The Deloitte’s Football Money League for 2014 shows that United take in about £100m than anyone else in England, thanks mainly due to the work that Ed Woodward did in building up United’s commercial arm.
Now Woodward is getting to spend that money and that has to worry United’s domestic rivals and not only can United outspend them on a play, they can outspend them and stay within Uefa’s Financial Fair Play guidelines.
That is what makes the Mata signing so important for United. It indicates a changing in philosophy. A willingness to spend for top talent, and area that United have avoided for the last decade.
