10 Shocking Chelsea Departures That Nobody Expected
2. Juan Mata
Juan Mata had won Chelsea Player of the Year twice in a row. His previous two seasons at the club had served up 33 goals and 58 assists. It was unfathomable that he would be leaving the club in the near future, not least to a title rival. However, to the shock of Chelsea supporters, that is exactly what happened. Under incoming boss Jose Mourinho, Mata struggled to secure a regular starting berth, with the Brazilian playmaker Oscar preferred as the no.10. The Spaniard started just 11 of Chelseas 22 Premier League matches up until January - a worrying statistic for a player who was already on the fringes of the Spanish set-up, in a World Cup year. On 24 January, the news that Blues supporters had dreaded was out - Chelsea had accepted a bid of £37.1 million from the 12/13 Premier League champions, as David Moyes desperately sought to get Manchester Uniteds derailing season back on track.
''The time has come for a new challenge. I am excited at the chance, I have to be part of the next phase in the clubs history. Chelsea is a top club and I have many friends there but you cannot turn down the chance to join Manchester United. I look forward to helping the manager and the team be successful in the coming years. - Juan Mata, January 2014.
It was like a dagger through the heart for Chelsea supporters.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
