Juan Mata set for medical at Manchester United and deal could be completed by this weekend

CHELSEA have agreed to sell Juan Mata to Manchester United for $A70 million, with a medical expected this weekend.

Juan Mata's proposed move to Old Trafford is reportedly close to hap...

CHELSEA have reportedly agreed to sell Spanish winger Juan Mata to Manchester United for a fee of $A70 million, with a medical expected to come before the weekend.

The London Daily Telegraph is reporting Mata has agreed to personal terms which are expected to double his weekly wage of $A130,000.

Chelsea had been braced for a bid from struggling United all week, with some rumours suggesting they would get inexcess of $A75 million. But they ultimately settled for less.

Rumours began to circulate that a deal was close when Mata missed training on Wednesday.

Deals of this magnitude are seldom completed without complications and third-party intermediaries were brought in to make the running in negotiations before matters are made official.

United need a filip in a disappointing season and the signing of Mata - which is likely break the club's transfer record - would be a serious statement of intent.

Chelsea were understood to be happy to sell as manager Jose Mourinho has too many attacking players in his squad and prefers other options to Mata.

The club would also make a significant profit on a player who they signed for $A44m from Valencia in 2011.

For Mata the transfer would give him an opportunity for much more playing time with the World Cup in Brazil looming this summer.

However, transfers between Chelsea and Manchester United in either direction are few and far between and the Premier League's top clubs prefer not to sell to direct rivals.