A £37.1million misfit – surely that is an oxymoron?

Louis van Gaal’s English may not yet extend to such description, but in the form of Juan Mata he has the ultimate footballing contradiction.

Here is a winner of the World Cup, European Championships and Champions League, a two-time Chelsea player of the year, a playmaker of such stock that more than £60m was invested in him all before his 26th birthday.

VIDEO Scroll down for Mata challenges De Gea to corner challenge using his left foot

Down the pecking order: Juan Mata could again find himself sidelined at Old Trrafford

Expensive acquisitions: Mata with new signing Angel di Maria, who arrived at Manchester United last week

Lively: Di Maria made a solid start to his United career during his debut against Burnley last weekend

Fresh face: Radamel Falcao signed for the club on loan from Monaco on deadline day last Monday

Quiet: Mata has lacked impact as Manchester United have scored just twice in their opening three games

MATA AT CHELSEA Appearances (starts): 82 (71) Minutes played: 6109 Goals: 18 Assists: 27 Chances Created (inc assists): 227 Total Passes: 3861 Pass Accuracy: 86.3 Yellow cards: 5 Advertisement

MATA AT MAN UTD Appearances (starts): 18 (17) Minutes played: 1497 Goals: 7 Assists: 4 Chances Created (inc assists): 37 Total Passes: 996 Pass Accuracy: 89.36 Yellow cards: 0 Advertisement

His numbers on the park aren’t too shabby either; 96 club career goals from 366 appearances. He even has 10 from 34 with the previously all-conquering Spain. And then there are his assists, a staggering 48 over two seasons while he ruled the roost at Stamford Bridge.

How strange, then, that first Jose Mourinho, at Chelsea, and now Van Gaal, at Manchester United, appear immune to the persuasion of such convincing statistics.

Is Mata a disruptive influence? Not at all. He is polite, well spoken, intelligent, even. At least Van Gaal will have him for company on the bench at Old Trafford, as that is where Mata is likely to reside following the late-summer influx of attacking reinforcements at United.

Again, it seems, it is the Spaniard who is set to be sacrificed.

It was only in January that – at a then-club record £37.1m – he arrived in Manchester as the saviour of United’s sorry season under David Moyes.

Even then, however, something did not quite fit – little did under Moyes.

The Spaniard was subdued on his debut – a 2-0 win over Cardiff – playing within himself and appearing wounded by the rejection of Mourinho. He did not, in time, rescue United’s season as previously hoped.

Out of favour: Mata moved to United after falling down the pecking order at Chelsea last season

Wounded: And his relationship with Jose Mourinho seems to have damaged his form

Fresh start: Mata only made the move to Man Utd under David Moyes in January

And so to this under the new charge of Van Gaal. Three starts, yes, but little impact once more. He scored at Sunderland – a tap-in from four yards – but was otherwise anonymous as United emerged with a fortunate point.

Again at Burnley during last Saturday’s goalless draw he was a peripheral figure. It was hardly the best impression to leave amid the deadline-weekend transfer battleplan which was being drawn up in the background.

In came Ajax midfielder Daley Blind and, perhaps most damningly for Mata, Radamel Falcao from Monaco.

For the arrival of the Colombia striker, an out-and-out frontman, means Wayne Rooney – the captain, don’t forget – will revert to a withdrawn role, the domain preferably populated by Mata.

Celebration: Mata scored the opener in the 1-1 draw with Sunderland in United's second game of the season

New arrival: Dutch star Daley Blind was another face to arrive at Old Trafford on deadline day

Return: Ander Herrera will be hoping to reclaim his place in the starting line up following injury

It has long been thought that the former Valencia schemer is a player around which a team must be built, for he does not respond well when his silky square is wedged into a round hole.

And then, of course, there is Angel Di Maria, United’s new record buy at £60m. He is a certain starter. To accommodate Falcao, Blind, Di Maria and Ander Herrera – the £28m signing from Athletic Bilbao – Van Gaal is likely to ditch his 3-5-2 system in favour of 4-3-3, thus affording room for more of his offensive personnel.

But who will make up that sextet? The smart money is on a midfield of Blind, Herrera and Di Maria with Rooney, Falcao and Robin van Persie forming what would be a feared front three.

Where does that leave Mata? On the bench, again.

A £37.1m misfit.

FROM THE SPECIAL JUAN TO THE ONE TO MAKE WAY Juan Mata joined his local side Real Oviedo as a 10-year-old - his father had spent most of his career there. Eight years later, he was playing for Real Madrid’s B team and attempting to break into the first XI at the Bernabeu. He caught the attention of Valencia, and it was at the Mestalla that his career blossomed. His talent was immediately obvious, being named best young player and knocking two past Barcelona to help Valencia reach the final of the 2008 Copa del Rey, all in a season’s work. After 49 goals and plenty of assists at Valencia it was no surprise when rumours of Premier League interest surfaced during the 2011 summer transfer window. Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester Utd were among those to show interest, but it was Chelsea that agreed a fee of £23.5million. Joining fellow Spaniard Fernando Torres, who had convinced him to move to Stamford Bridge, Mata had an excellent start, being player of the year in his first two seasons under Andre Villas-Boas and Roberto Di Matteo. The return of Jose Mourinho, however, meant infrequent games for Mata, who found himself struggling to secure a place in the first team and with an uncertain future. In January, Chelsea agreed a fee of £37.1million for Mata to move to Manchester United. After David Moyes’ pitiful start to the season, Mata was the light at the end of the tunnel but his confidence was at a low ebb and it showed. A winner of the World Cup, a European Championship and the Champions League at just 26 he may be, but Mourinho’s rejection has left its mark on Mata’s career. And after current United manager Louis van Gaal’s summer spending spree, Mata could spend the season warming the bench at Old Trafford. Charlotte Stones Advertisement