Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire and David de Gea react as Juan Mata signs new contract at Manchester United

Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes congratulated Juan Mata on his new deal (Picture: Getty)

Bruno Fernandes has passed on his congratulations to Juan Mata after the midfielder signed an extension with Manchester United and joked he will just have to wait another year to take over his favoured No.8 shirt.

Mata put an end to months of speculation over his future by putting pen to paper on a new one-year contract at Old Trafford on Friday.

The 33-year-old has scored 51 goals in 273 games since swapping Chelsea for the Red Devils midway through the 2013/14 campaign and next term will be his eighth full season in the north west.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made it clear he was keen for Mata to stay on for another 12 months despite the veteran Spain international making just six starts in the Premier League last term.

The Spaniard has agreed to a further 12 months with United (Picture: Getty)

It’s been a busy 24 hours for the club, with Lee Grant signing a one-year deal and England international Tom Heaton arriving at the Theatre of Dreams on a free transfer.

On Thursday it was also confirmed that United had reached an agreement with Borussia Dortmund to land Jadon Sancho, who has been Solskjaer’s prime attacking transfer target for the past 12 months.

Reacting to Mata’s extension, Fernandes tweeted: ‘I guess I’ll have to wait for the number 8 another year.

‘Congrats brother!! Well deserved! An example and an inspiration on and off the pitch.’

Fernandes wore his preferred No.8 shirt across his previous three-year spell with Sporting but had to settle for the No.18 shirt instead when he joined United in January 2020.

Club captain Harry Maguire and fellow countryman David de Gea were among the many thousands to send kind messages to their team-mate as his new deal was announced on Friday morning.

De Gea, Fernandes and Maguire sent kind messages to Mata on Instagram

Mata has helped United win the FA Cup, the Europa League and the Community Shield since his £37million transfer from Stamford Bridge seven-and-a-half years ago.

All of Mata’s trophies thus far have come while Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho were in charge and the Spaniard will be no doubt be desperate to lift his first silverware under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer next season.

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