Mourinho doesn't expect Mata to leave Manchester United

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is in no hurry to push Juan Mata out of the Old Trafford exit, and clarified that he didn't force the Spaniard to leave Chelsea for United in 2014.

Mata's with the rest of his United teammates for their preseason tour of China, but that hasn't stopped speculation that the 28-year-old's time with the club is up.

Mata and Mourinho have a checkered history dating back to their time in London, but Mourinho told the BBC in a wide-ranging interview that he values the player.

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"First of all, I think maybe all of you misunderstood what happened in our previous club because I never told Mata to leave. I never pressed the club to sell him," Mourinho said. "It was his decision and only his decision and I don't like players that want to leave. If the player doesn't want to be with us, goodbye - be happy where you want to go."

But the situation is not the same this time around. Mourinho confirmed that there's space for Mata, even though it will be hard to find consistent playing time for the former Valencia player after the arrival of a similar attacking midfielder in Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

"I think (Mata) is a good player, and he has space in the squad. But again, until the 31st of August, the market is open for every one of my players that is not happy. But, to be fair, I think he is happy and I am not expecting him to ask to leave. I expect him to do what he's doing now, which is to fight for a place."

Mata joined the Red Devils for £37.1 million in the January transfer window.