Report: Chelsea to ship Juan Mata to Manchester United for £37 million

Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata saw his playing time drop under new manager Jose Mourinho. (AFP Photo/Ian Kington)

Chelsea have agreed to send midfielder Juan Mata to Premier League rivals Manchester United in a transfer deal worth £37 million (roughly $60 million), according to The Telegraph's Jason Burt.

Pending a medical examination, the 25-year-old Spanish international will see a massive wage increase with Manchester United. Mata currently makes £70,000 each week with Chelsea, and his weekly fee is expected to double with his new squad, reports The Telegraph.

Mata was Chelsea's Player Of The Year each of the past two seasons, but he has spent a substantial amount of time on the bench this season under new Blues manager José Mourinho.

While Chelsea remains a serious contender for the Premier League title -- the squad currently sits in third place, only two points behind first place Arsenal -- Manchester United has floundered under first-year manager David Moyes. United sits in seventh place with only 37 points, a low total for the defending champions. The Red Devils hope the acquisition of Mata could spark a top-four finish, which would place United in next year's UEFA Champions League.

The report in The Telegraph also notes the World Cup implications of the move. With Mata unable to crack the starting lineup for Chelsea, a move to another club might brighten his prospects of reaching Brazil with the Spanish national team.

Chelsea and Manchester United played this past Sunday at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea earning a 3-1 victory.