• Premier League

Chelsea win race to sign Mata

ESPNsoccernet staff
August 21, 2011

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Valencia have confirmed that midfielder Juan Mata has reached an agreement with Chelsea and he is expected to be unveiled in London on Monday.

Mata, 23, had long been linked with a move to Arsenal, but with the expiration of a clause that allowed him to leave the club for €20 million last month, Chelsea swooped and have captured the Spanish international for a fee believed to be around €30 million.

A statement from Valencia read: "Valencia has reached an agreement in principle with Chelsea FC for the transfer of the player Juan Manuel Mata."

A Chelsea statement confirmed the news: ''An agreement has been reached with Valencia CF for the transfer to Chelsea of midfielder Juan Manuel Mata. The move is now subject to the player passing a medical and agreeing personal terms.''

Barcelona B star Oriol Romeu and Belgian youngster Romelu Lukaku have recently been added to the Blues' squad but, as a member of the Spain squad that won the World Cup in 2010 and the European Under-21 Championships this summer, Mata adds real quality.

The midfielder, at the club since 2007, scored eight times and claimed 12 assists following the sales of David Villa to Barcelona and David Silva to Manchester City and Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas said on Saturday: "He's a player who scores and assists and he can add to any squad in the world. He's not our player but he's an interesting player ... a very good player.''

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