Manchester United are preparing a bid for Chelsea’s out-of-favour midfielder Juan Mata, according to the Telegraph.
The Spain international has been regularly linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge since the start of the season, with the champions often mentioned as potential suitors.
It has been reported that United would have to offer around £37m for any deal to be possible, and such a fee would see them break their transfer record, usurping the £30.75m they paid Tottenham Hotspur for Dimitar Berbatov in September 2008.
Mata has started just half of Chelsea’s matches in the Premier League so far this season, completing the full ninety minutes just twice.
However, former United captain Gary Neville is not convinced that bringing in the two-time Chelsea Player of the Year would be the right now, Sky Sports understands.
Neville is unsure how manager David Moyes would be able to accommodate the 25 year old in his side, along with Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, citing the problems Sir Alex Ferguson had with former midfielders Juan Sebastian Veron and Kleberson, as well as Shinji Kagawa’s inability to make a real impact on the first team.
The former right-back, who retired from professional football in 2011, believes that players such as Paul Pogba, Luke Shaw, Marco Reus and Arturo Vidal, all of whom have been linked with a switch to Old Trafford, would be more suited to the club.