The Blues claim that the Red Devils were the only side to bid £37m for Mata.
Much to the annoyance of many Chelsea fans, Manchester United completed the £37.1m transfer of two-time Blues Player of the Season Juan Mata on Saturday.
In fact several top flight managers – including Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger and Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini – are also frustrated that Mata was allowed to join the Red Devils.
Yet the west London club have also claimed that they didn’t want to sell the Spain international to United, but they were the only club to meet the valuation, reports the Mirror.
Manager Jose Mourinho had made a verbal agreement with Mata that if the 25-year-old wasn’t a regular first team player again by Christmas, the attacking midfielder could leave in the January transfer window.
The Portuguese coach had been using the Spaniard sparingly – despite many considering the midfield ace to be one of the best players in the entire division – and he left having only made 14 appearances in the first half of the 2013/14 campaign.
However, when it came to Mata leaving Stamford Bridge, the club said that the Spanish star could be sold to any side for £37m – except the Premier League champions.
This is because relations between the two teams had broken down in the summer when United refused to sell Wayne Rooney to Mourinho.
Yet when no other side came in with a £37m bid for Mata, the Blues were forced to reconsider their stance due to the midfielder’s anger at not being allowed to leave.
In the end the two clubs negotiated the deal through mediators Colin Promforde and Kia Joorabchian, due to their disdain of each other.
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