Mourinho: Mata has a future at Manchester United

Juan Mata has been the subject of a number of reports regarding his future at Manchester United in the lead up to his side's 3-1 win over AFC Bournemouth at Dean Court Sunday, reports that manager Jose Mourinho has dismissed entirely.

The Spanish midfielder found the back of the net after being named to the starting XI, just days after Sky Sports wrote that the club expected to keep Mata at Old Trafford, before conflicting reports from Paul Hirst and Gary Jacob of The Times emerged stating he was angling for an exit.

ESPN FC reported that the Red Devils could offload as many as 10 players - including Mata - before making defensive signings, too, but Mourinho has rubbished the lot entirely.

"One thing is the stories people write. The other thing is the reality," Mourinho told Sky Sports, according to ESPN FC. "Seeing what happened in our previous club, people thought he had no future. It is completely different.

"I trust him. Every time he plays, I know what he can give and I know what he cannot give. He has a lot to give.

"I know him very well because I worked with him for six months at a previous club. I know exactly what he can give and what he cannot give, so when the game is the perfect game to give what he can, it is perfect and today it was about this."

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Mata's future at the club has come under doubt due to the circumstances of his exit from Chelsea, where he was indiscriminately sold to the Red Devils for £37.1 million.

At the time, Mata's relationship with Mourinho was rumoured to be the cause.

Mourinho added to that sentiment by substituting Mata into the team's Community Shield tilt against Leicester City on the hour mark, then removing him from the match with three minutes remaining.

Mourinho explained his decision by pointing out that he was looking for height in the back line in the closing minutes of the match and Mata was among the shorter players in the team at the moment.

The Portuguese tactician also gave his perspective on Mata's sale from Chelsea earlier in the summer transfer window.

"First of all, I think maybe all of you misunderstood what happened in our previous club because I never told Mata to leave," Mourinho said, as quoted by Sky Sports. "I never pressed the club to sell him. It was his decision and only his decision, and I don't like players that want to leave."

"We sold him to Man United and done. Nothing else."