Mata undergoes surgery for groin injury
Juan Mata's standout season in the Premier League is on hold.
On Friday, Manchester United announced Mata had surgery for a groin injury and further updates on his recovery will follow in due course.
While the Guardian's Daniel Taylor and the Manchester Evening News' Samuel Luckhurst report Mata could be out for the rest of the season, The Telegraph's James Ducker alleges the Spanish attacking midfielder is likely to miss nine matches in April after undergoing a hernia operation.
#MUFC's @juanmata8 has had surgery for a groin injury. Further updates on his recovery will follow in due course. #MUFC. pic.twitter.com/nD2KQ5aBCR
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 31, 2017
Mata is enjoying an exceptional season under Jose Mourinho, who is the 28-year-old's fourth manager since he arrived at Old Trafford. The product of Real Madrid Castilla doesn't always start for the Special One but boasts six goals and three assists through 22 Premier League appearances, six of which were as a substitute.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is United's only player who can claim to have scored more goals than Mata in the Premier League this season, but the latter leads the Red Devils in pass success percentage with 90.4 percent.