Manchester United fan-favourite Ander Herrera has shared a classy message to mark the 10-year anniversary of former teammate Juan Mata arriving at Old Trafford.
Mata left Chelsea in the 2014 January transfer window and completed his £37.1m move to United, with the Spaniard becoming David Moyes’ second major signing.
Moyes’ ill-fated spell at Old Trafford would come to an end after only 10 months in charge, but Mata would remain at United and be used under subsequent managers.
Juan Mata would make 285 appearances during his time at United, with the former Chelsea star scoring 51 times and registering 47 assists for the Red Devils.
The 35-year-old Spaniard lifted a League Cup, an FA Cup and a Europa League with Manchester United before his exit from Old Trafford in 2022.
Mata’s contract with United expired at the end of the 2021-2022 campaign and the ex-Red Devils star completed a free transfer to Turkish side Galatasaray.
Ander Herrera didn’t pass up the opportunity to pay tribute to his former United and Spain teammate on the anniversary of his signing for the Red Devils.
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Herrera’s message about Mata
Manchester United’s official Instagram account on Thursday posted a tribute to Juan Mata on the 10-year anniversary of Moyes bringing him to the Premier League club.
“Juan will always be a Red,” reads the post.
“On this day [10] years ago, [Juan Mata] signed for the club.”
Reacting to the post in the comments, Mata posted a series of emojis and wrote: “How is it 10 years already!”
Ander Herrera, who spent five seasons at Old Trafford, also took to the social media platform and left a heartfelt message on United’s post about Mata.
The 34-year-old former United midfielder wrote in Spanish “El major,” which translates to ‘the beast’ in English.
Mata on playing with Herrera at United
United signed Herrera from Athletic Bilbao in 2014 and the Spaniard enjoyed playing alongside fellow countryman Mata during his spell at Old Trafford.
Herrera lifted an FA Cup, a League Cup and a Europa League with United before his contract expired in 2019, subsequently signing for Paris Saint-Germain on a free.
The former Spain international returned to Athletic Bilbao on loan in 2022 before his move to the Spanish side was made permanent last January.
Mata, who left Japanese side Vissel Kobe earlier this month, admitted that he relished the opportunity to play alongside Herrera at United.
“I think maybe we see the game in the same way,” he told United’s official website in 2014, as per The Daily Mail.
“We are different players but we like to play the same way, which is to try to pass, to assist, to move and to find the gaps in the opposition defence.
“Ander is a great player and everyone who plays with him enjoys it.”
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