Juan Mata hasn't exactly set the Old Trafford stage on fire since making his move to Manchester United from Chelsea, and now the Spain international could be set for a return to his country with Barcelona reportedly showing interest.
Mata has been linked with a move to the Camp Nou in the past, particularly when he was lighting it up at Chelsea, but a move never really materialised. Manchester United signed the playmaker amidst much fanfare, but Mata has found consistency hard to come by under Louis Van Gaal.
A move back to Spain to reignite his career might not be such a bad idea, with Don Balon suggesting the 27-year-old would be keen on a transfer to Barcelona.
The report also suggests Manchester United might be open to a sale, but it is hard to imagine the English Premier League side would sanction a deal in the January transfer window.
Considering United's attacking struggles and Mata's impressive performance in the FA Cup on Friday, Louis Van Gaal, even if has played the midfielder out of position, will be keen to keep him at the club, at least until the end of the season.
With Euro 2016 coming up, Mata might also feel he will have more first-team opportunities at Manchester United rather than Barcelona, who already have a plethora of attacking midfielders in their lineup.
If the move does go through, though, be that in January or in the summer, it will be interesting to see what fee is agreed upon, because you feel Manchester United will struggle to get the £37.1million they paid Chelsea for Mata's services.
Either way, Manchester United would be better advised to strengthen their attack, rather than weaken it by selling a player, who, while not convincing all the time, has the capability to decide games with his vision.
