Manchester United Prepare £37m January Bid for Chelsea Midfielder Juan Mata - Report

Manchester United are considering a move to sign Chelsea star Juan Mata in January, according to the Mirror.

The 25-year-old has seen his first team appearances being limited under Jose Mourinho, making only 13 appearances in the league this season, including 11 starts.

The Spain international has made only one appearance this year and was substituted during Chelsea's victory over Southampton, about which Mata has publicly expressed his frustration.

The former Valencia midfielder has dropped down the pecking order with the Portuguese tactician preferring Oscar, Eden Hazard, summer signings Willian and Andre Scherrle ahead of Mata in the Blues' starting lineup.

United manager David Moyes is aware of Mata's unhappiness about the lack of playing time during the World Cup year. The Scot is looking to persuade the Spaniard to join the Old Trafford club in the ongoing transfer window.

The report claims that the Premier League champions are preparing a £37m bid in their pursuit of signing Chelsea's unhappy midfielder as the former Everton boss looks to bolster United's squad in January.

The Europa League winners are expected to have a bid from United in signing Mata in the next 48 hours as Moyes prepared to test Chelsea's resilience in holding the midfielder.

The Mirror said a source close to the midfielder claimed that Mata is looking to leave the west London club in the mid-season transfer window. However, the Spaniard will not force a transfer to make a move away from Stamford Bridge to boost his chances of making it to the national squad for the World Cup in Brazil.

Mata has already proved his worth for Chelsea in the last two seasons, where we won the Club's Player of Season for two years in a row. His compatriot and Arsenal star Santi Cazorla has suggested that the former Valencia man will leave Stamford Bridge in January.

Should the report be true, Mata's move to Old Trafford would mark a club record transfer and is likely to strengthen their midfield. The current record fee of £30.8m was spent by United's former manager Sir Alex Ferguson in signing Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham Hotspur in 2008.