Moves that make so much sense they probably won't happen: January Edition

OK, so the title of this is a little misleading. "January Edition" implies that this is something that is more regular than it has been and January is just another month in the pipeline. That is incorrect. If you're reading this thinking "I haven't seen this before" you're not out of the loop for thinking that.

I did however, do this blog post in summer when I thought Samuel Eto'o should have been an Arsenal player and titled "moves that made so much sense they probably won't happen". As predicted, Samuel Eto'o didn't go to Arsenal. He did however go to Chelsea, and has been mediocre at best and has by no means solved Chelsea's striking problem, and probably wouldn't have at Arsenal despite my insistence to the otherwise in summer. Arsenal probably did the right thing not buying him. But they didn't, like I said. So we'll call that one a draw.

Anyway, I decided to do it again, focusing on the January transfer window and players who probably should go to clubs who they fit in with tactically rather than who matches the buy-out clause. Alas, we don't live in that world. On the bright side, it gives me something to write about. So here we go.

Moves that make so much sense they probably won't happen: Juan Mata to Juventus

What's the Mata at Chelsea? Mata should be number Juan at Chelsea! Ok, I'll stop. It's not often you can fit two name puns in one opening gambit, unless you're reciting a sonnet.

But on a more serious note, Mata is for some reason on the edge of the rotation of Jose Mourinho's Chelsea despite scoring 32 goals in two seasons the year before and being by far and away the most talented creative talent since Gianfranco Zola. But Mourinho doesn't have time for players like Mata, preferring the more lateral Eden Hazard or hard-working Oscar to play in his attacking positions. Whether Mourinho is throwing his weight around and sees Mata as a tactical roadblock on the way to building 'his' Chelsea or Mata slept with his wife is neither here nor there. A player of truly elite quality is available at (probably) a knockdown price and someone needs to take advantage. I think I have the perfect club in mind.

Juventus have been a domestic domination since their Antonio Conte-led rise from the ashes of mediocrity between 2007 and 2010 and are preparing to take the next step into being a force in Europe. I, like many, assumed they would take that step this season after seeing their disciplined (and in hindsight, very impressive) two legs against eventual European champions Bayern Munich. They added Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente, fixed their striking problem and by and large looked a much more complete team than the one that fell out of the Champions League months earlier.

While that has proven true in Italy (Juventus leading Serie A by five points despite an unbeaten Roma setting the pace early), in Europe the Old Lady has struggled to break down disciplined European teams which ultimately proved their downfall. While they have dispatched domestic opposition without stellar performances simply due to the simple disparity in team quality between Juve and say, Bologna - Europe has offered no such easy victory.

While not necessarily a great help for the remainder of this season with Juventus out of the Champions League,  Mata would certainly help in that regard in the Europa League and the Champions League next season. The Spaniard offers creativity in an area where they have little - the 3-5-2 formation depends on width and strength in numbers to overrun and outnumber defences but in terms of creative subtlety and misdirection Juve's attacking threat remains rather benign. A lack of a real creative midfielder means Juve are forced to rely on Aturo Vidal, Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio to create opportunities and despite their incredible talents you wouldn't attribute any one of them with a "trequartista" label like a David Silva, Mesut Ozil or Andres Iniesta.

Instead, Juve's elegance and creativity comes from Andrea Pirlo at the base of a three man midfield and as wonderful as Pirlo's feet are, they cannot hit 60 yard through balls from the half-way line. Without a true creative link to connect between Vidal, Pirlo and Tevez, Juve's attack is in danger of stagnation on the most testing of stages.

In Juventus's final Champions League game against Galatasaray, Tevez and Llorente combined for three shots. In a must win game, the lack of a creative presence was fatal and felt even deeper when the it's noted that Andrea Pirlo didn't play either. Only Asamoah, a left-wing back finished that game with a pass accuracy higher than 75%. Andrea Pirlo is also a free agent in summer. If he leaves, where does the creative solution come from then?

Juan Mata provides attacking spark, versatility and a real, long term creative solution. Moving forward, Mata allows Juve to switch to a 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 or a selection of other formations, an asset increasingly important in light of Juventus's likely tactical reshuffle post-Pirlo (be that now or in a few years).

For Mata himself, he gets a change of scenery(to a warmer, more Spaniard friendly city culturally and otherwise), regular starts for a notable, successful European football team. Juve will play him more than PSG will, he guarantees regular Champions League football for the forseeable future (cross out Napoli) Chelsea don't have to sell him to a rival(cross out Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United) and Juventus get a great player.

It makes so much sense, it probably won't happen.