Arsenal manager wants reunion with Manchester United ace

Arsenal manager Unai Emery wants to sign Juan Mata from Manchester United this summer, claims The Daily Mirror.

Mata has entered the final six months of his current United deal and is free to speak to foreign clubs about a pre-contract agreement.

The 30-year-old has been heavily linked with a return to Valencia, where the Spaniard worked under Emery, but is now particularly keen on the idea.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already confirmed he would like United to renew Mata’s contract and the Red Devils are in talks with his representatives.

However, there is a good chance that Mata will leave at the end of the season and there are a host of Europe’s biggest clubs monitoring his future.

Juventus and Barcelona are among those interested in prising Mata from Old Trafford, but it has also emerged Arsenal are keen.

Arsenal cannot afford to make any permanent signings this month and Mata on a free transfer in the summer would be deemed as a good business by the club, depending on the player’s wage demands.

Mata has been in and out of the team at United during the last few years and has only started three of Solskjaer’s seven matches in charge, netting once.

United have a better win ratio in the Premier League when Mata has started (66.7%) compared to when he hasn’t featured from the off (50%).