{"id":286094,"date":"2023-09-03T20:49:05","date_gmt":"2023-09-03T20:49:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/?p=286094"},"modified":"2023-09-03T20:49:05","modified_gmt":"2023-09-03T20:49:05","slug":"juan-mata-announced-as-the-j-league-side-vissel-kobes-new-signing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/soccer\/juan-mata-announced-as-the-j-league-side-vissel-kobes-new-signing\/","title":{"rendered":"Juan Mata announced as the J-League side Vissel Kobe's new signing"},"content":{"rendered":"
Juan Mata has joined Japanese club Vissel Kobe on a free transfer after winning the title with Turkish Super Lig side Galatasaray last season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 35-year-old World Cup-winning midfielder was announced on X, formerly Twitter, as the club’s new signing. He will wear number 64 on his shirt for the Japanese side.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The former Chelsea and Manchester United star took to social media to express his excitement on joining the club.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘I’m here!’ He penned.<\/p>\n
‘New beginnings! Thanks for the incredible welcome, Japan! I\u2019m here! I\u2019ve always been a big admirer if this country and its culture, and it\u2019s time to enjoy it here in Kobe.\u00a0Grateful to everyone that made it possible. I will try my best to try to win another league title, we are in the race!<\/p>\n
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The former Chelsea and Manchester United star expressed his excitement on joining the club<\/p>\n
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The 35-year-old World Cup-winning midfielder was announced on X, formerly Twitter, as the club’s new signing. He will wear the number 64 on his new shirt for the Japanese side<\/p>\n
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Long-serving Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata announced he was leaving in 2022<\/p>\n
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Chelsea’s Fernando Torres (right) and Juan Mata (left) pose with the Champions League and Europa League trophy from 2012 and 2013 as they celebrated with the west London club<\/p>\n
‘Thank you football for allowing me to live such amazing life experiences!<\/p>\n
Mata joins the Japanese top-flight club in a bid to win the league, as they currently sit at the top of the table.<\/p>\n
The midfielder received tempting offers from Saudi Arabia and Dubai, but\u00a0decided to embrace the J-League and explore life in Japan while aiming for fresh titles.<\/span><\/p>\n His fellow former international teammate, Andres Iniesta made the same move in 2018, spending five years at the J-League side.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Iniesta made over 130 appearances for Vissel Kobe and scored 26 goals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n He then moved to the Emirates club in the UAE on a free transfer, who are currently ranked 11th in the Arabian Gulf League.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Another compatriot, David Villa, also enjoyed a year in Japan in 2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n The midfielder received tempting offers from Saudi Arabia and Dubai , but decided to embrace the J-League and explore life in Japan while aiming for fresh titles towards the end of his career<\/p>\n Mata began his senior career at Real Madrid in 2006, and went on to join the Premier League in 2011 after a three-year stint at Chelsea, before transferring to Manchester United.\u00a0<\/p>\n With Chelsea, he helped the team win the Champions League and FA Cup in 2012, as well as the Europa League a year later.<\/p>\n After moving to Manchester United, he joined Louis Van Gaal’s side for a record fee of \u00a337.1million.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n