Juan Mata has no plans to retire in the summer and will assess his options at Manchester United at the end of the season, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano.
The Spanish playmaker has found his first-team opportunities to be severely restricted this season, with Mata having only made a total of five appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils.
Mata, 33, signed a new one-year contract with Manchester United last summer, meaning that he now looks set to leave Old Trafford on a free transfer when that deal expires at the end of the current campaign.
Italian reporter Romano has now claimed that Mata has no plans to hang up his boots at the end of the season, and that he will make a final decision about his future in the coming weeks and months.
Posting on his personal Twitter account, Romano said: “Been told Juan Mata will not retire at the end of the season, it’s not even an option.
“He’s now focused on Man United and then he will plan for his future – his current Man United deal runs out in June. Mata will not join Man United coaching staff, it’s not in his plans.”
Mata has only started two games in all competitions for Manchester United this season, the first coming when he played 62 minutes of the Red Devils’ 1-0 defeat by West Ham United in the League Cup back in September.
He then featured for 89 minutes of Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Young Boys in the Champions League at Old Trafford in December.
Since then, Mata has only briefly featured against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup and Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Manchester United are back in Premier League action on Saturday when they travel to take on Everton at Goodison Park.