Transfer news: Could Arsenal be about to launch an audacious bid for Chelsea's Juan Mata?

Gunners have been linked with the midfielder having missed out on him two years ago

JUAN MATA (EPA)

Reports today suggest Arsenal could be about to launch an audacious bid for Chelsea’s Juan Mata, with manager Arsene Wenger keeping an eye on the midfielder’s future as it has been thrown into question as part of the Wayne Rooney transfer saga.

Wenger came close to signing Mata in 2011, but the former Valencia playmaker chose to move to Chelsea instead of the Gunners.

Mata has since gone on to win the Champions League, Europa League and the FA Cup with the Blues, although reports emerged earlier this week that he and David Luiz has been offered to Manchester United as part of a transfer for Wayne Rooney.

Returning manager Jose Mourinho rubbished these rumours saying there was “no chance” of either player leaving the club, and he went on to add: “I spoke with them during the summer but when they finished the Confederations Cup I wished them luck and told them I will see them on July 28.”

Chelsea released a statement earlier this week confirming they had made an offer for Rooney, but that it was a cash-only deal and no players would be going in the opposite direction as part of the deal.

Arsenal’s pursuit of Mata was made rather public throughout the summer two years ago, with Valencia ready to sell the Spanish international due to financial troubles at the time.

He was long linked with a move to the Emirates, though at the eleventh hour Chelsea steamed in and took Mata to Stamford Bridge, with speculation surround Arsenal’s transfer policy coming into question as they failed to close the deal.

Fans of the north London club are becoming restless with their side’s lack of transfer activity despite a hefty transfer budget thought to be around £70m. Bids have been made for both Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid and Luis Suarez of Liverpool, but progress appears to have halted on the former and they saw their £30m bid for Suarez rejected.

Mata scored 11 league goals last season along with 13 assists, and he was one of the stand-out players in the Premier League, claiming Chelsea's player of the year for a second consecutive year.