Everton head a short queue to sign Juan Mata from Manchester United, according to a Spanish newspaper that claims Barcelona have already turned down the former Chelsea man.

Spanish newspaper Sport claim that the only clubs who could afford Mata – expected to be discarded for the second time by Jose Mourinho – are Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, and there is little indication that any of those clubs are interested.

Mata’s old club Valencia would presumably welcome a return from the likeable Spaniard but they do not have the financial pulling power.

As Mata is settled in the north-west, he may well be interested in a move to Everton, buoyed by investment from new owner Farhad Moshiri.

On Thursday the Manchester Evening News claimed that ‘Jose Mourinho risks upsetting his Manchester United players if he decides to sell Juan Mata this summer’.