Juan Mata is on the brink of becoming the most expensive player in Manchester United's history after Chelsea accepted the Spanish midfielder's request to leave Stamford Bridge as well as accepting a bid from United earlier today.
Mata was to a undergo a medical examination with United ahead of a club-record 37 million pound ($61 million) move to the Premier League champions, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said Friday.
"I asked him, 'Are you really happy to go?'" Mourinho said. "He said, 'Yes, I'm really happy to go.'
"We hope he does well," Mourinho added. "We are convinced he is going to do well. If Manchester United pays their record for a player, it's because they know exactly what they want from him. And they know exactly what he can give them."
The 25-year-old Mata was Chelsea's player of the year for the last two seasons, but hasn't found much luck under Mourinho who prefers Eden Hazard, Willian and Oscar as playmakers.
"If he cannot be fully happy here because he is not playing 100 percent like he was the last two years, if he has a big club that wants him - even if it's a rival club and in England - the club decided, and I was on the club's side for this feeling, that you cannot stop people to be happy," Mourinho said.
"The offer we've received we feel is the right offer for the quality of the player," Mourinho said. "It's a good move for Juan, it's a good move for the Premier League and the offer is the right offer. He was fantastic for Chelsea, and Chelsea were fantastic for him."
Responding to criticism of the sale from some supporters, he said: "If the fans are sad that Juan is leaving, I will say that we are also sad. No one is jumping around the place."
Mata's replacement in the Chelsea squad will be Mohamed Salah, subject to a successful medical.
Salah has agreed personal terms, but Mourinho explained that he will have to have his medical - the last step in the deal to sign him from Basel - in Switzerland.
"He's a non-EC player. He cannot come to England for his medical, so we have to travel to meet him and to have the medical, probably in Switzerland. Only after that can we do the paperwork to bring him to the country," said Mourinho, who is excited by the signing.
"I like the fact that he can play the same way our attacking players do, which is players with adaptability, to play right, left, or behind the striker.
"He's young, he's fast, he's creative, he's enthusiastic. When we analysed him he looks the kind of humble personality on the pitch, ready to work for the team and to work and to adapt himself to a new life.
"We believe if he comes that he will have a similar process to the Willian one. Willian needed two or three months to grow up and to feel comfortable playing for us (following his August signing from Anzhi Makhachkala).
"We think with him and (Andre) Schurrle, (Eden) Hazard, Oscar and Willian we will be fine.
"We lose an experienced top player like Juan, but we bring in a young player with great potential."
Mourinho also laughed off criticism by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who said Thursday that Chelsea had timed the sale of Mata specifically to hurt its Premier League rivals.
United already has played Chelsea twice but has games left against Manchester City and the Gunners, which could be vital for Chelsea's title challenge.
"Wenger complaining is normal, because he always does. It's something that we know," Mourinho said. "We don't do the market. We don't do the rules."
