Chelsea win race for Mata

Valencia have announced they have reached an agreement ‘in principle’ with Chelsea over the transfer of Juan Mata.

The Spanish club also confirmed the agreement regarding the 23-year-old midfielder is subject to a successful medical examination, which is expected to take place on Monday.

Mata, who starred for Spain during their Under-21 European Championship victory in Denmark earlier this summer, has also been linked with Arsenal and Liverpool during the transfer window.

But Valencia revealed on Sunday that it was Chelsea who had tabled a successful bid for the midfielder, saying in a statement: “Valencia has reached an agreement in principle with Chelsea FC for the transfer of the player Juan Manuel Mata.”

Following Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over West Brom on Saturday, Andre Villas-Boas revealed the club were interested in signing Mata and suggested the Valencia man would add to his squad at Stamford Bridge.

Villas-Boas said: “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.”

Mata will be Chelsea’s fourth signing this summer following the arrivals of Romelu Lukaku, Oriol Romeu and Thibaut Courtois.