Chelsea midfielder believes he can be a key player for the club under new boss Jose Mourinho despite being placed on the bench for nearly all of the new season so far.
Juan Mata was Chelsea’s player of the year in both 2012 and 2013 but has struggled to get in ahead of the likes of Oscar, Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard this season.
Mata was reportedly close to a move towards Tottenham, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain but the 25 year old playmaker insists his future remains at the London club and that he is not getting into the team due to his lack of first team fitness.
‘I think it’s normal in every transfer window that there are lots of rumours but I’m happy here,’ Mata told Chelsea TV.
‘It’s been a very, very good two seasons for me here, maybe the best of my career, and what I want this season is the same.’
‘I’m looking forward to achieving as many trophies as we did the last two seasons and hopefully this is going to be a good season for us again.’
Not only has Mata sruggled in the Chelsea time, he has been dropped from Spain’s squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Finland on Friday and he admites that it is because he is struggling with his fitness.
Mata has only started one match this season against a 2-1 win over Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on the 21st August but he only managed 65 minutes in the outing.
The midfielder has hinted that his lack of fitness is due to a thigh injury and that is the main reason he has struggled since Mourinho’s arrival.
‘My only aim is to play here, grow as a player and do as good a season as the last two which were amazing for me,’ Mata added.
‘These two seasons have flown by… but to me this is good because when you are enjoying things and you are happy, time goes quicker.’
‘I had four weeks off [ahead of pre-season training] and to be honest that’s too much time for me because in the last five or six years I didn’t have this sort of rest.’
‘But I’ve had plenty of rest and now I’m feeling really good. The best thing for me is to play because I love to play.’
James Moss – @JMoss_13
