Juan Mata is a huge United fan who owned a Cantona shirt when he was at Valencia in 2010 [24Sata]

This maybe the reason why Juan Mata is expected to receive the number seven shirt at Old Trafford.

Croatian website 24Sata.hr have a cute story for Manchester United fans this Sunday following Juan Mata’s move from Chelsea.

Back in 2010, when Mata was still a Valencia player, the forward played in a Spanish U21 match against Croatia that La Roja won 3-0.

Following the game Croatian journalist Antonio Bevanda held an interview Mata, when something caught his eye. 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”.