Why Juan Mata could get the No.7 jersey at Manchester United

With Juan Mata‘s move from Chelsea to Manchester United being sealed, and the player set to be unveiled on Monday at Old Trafford, the excitement levels among Manchester United fans have hit the roof.

One of the things being discussed by hordes of fans on social media platforms is whether or not Juan Mata will be getting the famed No.7 shirt which has been worn with distinction by players like Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo among others.

According to Croatian website 24Sata.hr, there is good reason to believe that Mata will indeed be wearing the No.7 jersey which now lies vacant after Antonio Valencia switched back to No.25 at the start of the season.

Back in 2010, when Mata was still a Valencia player, he played in a Spanish U21 match against Croatia that Spain won 3-0.

After the match had ended, Croatian journalist Antonio Bevanda sat down for an interview Mata, when something caught his attention.

Bevanda has since told the following story:

“I remembered one cute anecdote with the Spaniard. It was on the 12th October 2010. The young Spanish team were in Varazdin, Croatia won 3-0. Rakitic lost his teeth.

“There was a Spanish journalist who was with Mata and [Bojan] Krkic who had arranged an exclusive interview [ahead of the upcoming match] between Barcelona and Valencia, which was set for a few days later at the Nou Camp. Then, when Mata came out of the locker room a reporter gave him a red shirt, which Mata gave to his mother to put in his bag.

“It seemed to me that it was an Eric Cantona Manchester United shirt, but all I wanted to check with Juan.

“I saw that you put in the bag jersey. Is that a Manchester United shirt?”, I asked the Spaniard.

Mata laughed and replied: “Yes, this is United’s jersey. I’m a huge fan.”

At the time, the Spanish midfielder excelled in Valencia, and one of the best young midfielders in Europe. “I hope that one day I will play at Old Trafford”, added Mata.

From his words I saw how much he loved United, and how he wished to join the “Red Devils”.

Considering that Mata, a Cantona fan from his childhood days as has now been revealed, is United’s record signing and the club’s need for a marquee player to lift the club from the difficult situation it finds itself in, David Moyes handing Mata the famous jersey might just go on to inspire the Spanish playmaker to reach the heights that some of the previous recipients of the jersey have with Manchester United.