Earlyface

Chelsea are targeting Basel winger Mohamed Salah
after agreeing to sell Juan Mata to Manchester United
for £37 million, Goal understands.

Mata is scheduled to undertake a United medical on
Thursday as he puts the finishing touches to his club-
record transfer to Old Trafford.

There was a breakthrough in talks between Chelsea
and United on Wednesday, with the London club
giving the 25-year-old permission to miss first-team
training in the morning.

Barring any late hiccups, Mata is expected to make
his debut for David Moyes’ team in their Premier
League clash against Cardiff City next Tuesday.
Chelsea, who, as revealed by Goal, have had an
approach for Wayne Rooney rejected in the January
window , are set to make an immediate attempt to
reshape their squad by trying to prise Salah from
Swiss champions Basel.

The 21-year-old Egyptian made a series of eye-
catching appearances in the Champions League
before Christmas, scoring the equaliser for Basel in
their unexpected 2-1 win at Chelsea in the group
stage.

The Londoners are prepared to reinvest around
£10m, a quarter of the Mata money, in Salah
although Basel value the wide player at closer to
£15m.

Chelsea's strong interest could scupper Liverpool's
bid to sign the Egyptian this month.
They will make their move after negotiating a big
profit on Mata, who cost £23.5m when he signed
from Valencia in 2011.

Mata told Chelsea he wanted to move to Old Trafford
to play regular first-team football at a top club and
boost his chances of playing for Spain at next
summer’s World Cup. He is believed to have been
offered a significant increase on his £70,000-a-week
salary.

The Spaniard has been named Chelsea's player of the
year in the last two seasons but Jose Mourinho
suggested earlier this month that the 'door is open'
should Mata seek a transfer away from Stamford
Bridge in the January transfer window.

Mourinho has cited Mata's lack of defensive work as
the main reason behind the Spain international's
frequent omission, with Oscar preferred in the No.10
role at Stamford Bridge.

With United no longer considered a direct rival - the
champions are currently seventh in the Premier
League table, 14 points behind leaders Arsenal -
Chelsea decided to sanction his sale.

It represents a major coup for Moyes, who has been
given £150m to spend on new recruits by United in
the two transfer windows covering this month and
the summer.