Juan Mata is in his third season at Manchester United (Picture: Getty)
Juan Mata is in his third season at Manchester United (Picture: Getty)

Manchester United are considering letting Juan Mata leave the club in January with Real Madrid reportedly interested.

The Spain international has been on the outside of Jose Mourinho’s squad since he was substituted at half-time against Huddersfield at the end of October.

Mata’s mistake led to a Huddersfield goal in the 2-1 defeat and Mourinho was so frustrated, he hauled the midfielder off.

The 29-year-old then watched from the bench during the Tottenham win and missed out all together on the matchday squad that faced Chelsea.

Mata traveled to London with the rest of the United squad, but was dropped completely from the squad.

Mata has been sidelined since the Huddersfield loss (Picture: Getty)

Manchester United 2018/19 Fixtures

Fulham (A) - Feb 9
PSG (H) - Feb 12
Chelsea (A) - Feb 18
Liverpool (H) - Feb 24
Crystal Palace (A) - Feb 27
Southampton (H) - Mar 2

He has not played since (Picture: Reuters/Jason Cairnduff)

Real are eyeing taking advantage of the growing concern over Mata’s future and are further encouraged by the fact his contract is up in the summer, the Express claim.

United will lose Mata for nothing in the summer if they do not sign him up to a new deal and Mourinho is now considering selling him in January.

Real are enduring a dreadful run of form after back-to-back defeats and are targeting an injection of confidence in January.

Jose Mourinho could sell Mata in January (Picture: Getty)

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(Picture: REUTERS/Sergio Perez)

Mata was in Real’s youth academy before joining Valencia in 2009, where he attracted the attention of Chelsea.

Mourinho sold Mata to United at Chelsea and it now seems the Red Devils boss is ready to repeat the trick.

Mata was a regular last season, but has plummeted down the pecking order this campaign and has rarely played in his favourite central position.

(Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire)
(Picture: Getty)

The playmaker may find the lure of a return to Spain and his boyhood club too good to turn down, while United have been linked with a host of attackers in recent weeks including Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil.

Mata is in his third year at United, but has played in the Premier League since joining Chelsea in 2011.

Real are expected to spend in the winter transfer window as they attempt to reinvigorate a season that has so far fallen well short of expectations.

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