FILE - This is a Saturday, May 25, 2013, file photo of Chelsea modfielder Juan Mata gestures toward spectators at the end of an friendly soccer match against Manchester City at Yankee Stadium in New York. Mata is edging closer to joining Manchester United from Chelsea. In a sign that Mata's Chelsea exit is nearing, a person familiar with the situation says the midfielder didn't train with the first team on Wednesday Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

Juan Mata is on the brink of becoming the most expensive player in Manchester United's history after Chelsea accepted the Spain midfielder's request to leave Stamford Bridge.

Mata will undergo a medical examination with United ahead of a club-record 37 million pounds ($61 million) move to the Premier League champions, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said on Friday.

"I asked him (Mata), 'Are you really happy to go?''', Mourinho said. "He said, 'Yes, I'm really happy to go.'"

"We hope he does well," Mourinho added. "We are convinced he is going to do well. If Man United pays their record for a player, it's because they know exactly what they want from him. And they know exactly what he can give them."

The 25-year-old Mata was Chelsea's player of the year for the last two seasons but has been marginalized at the London club this campaign following the return of Mourinho as manager in the summer.

He has largely been on the bench, with Mourinho preferring Eden Hazard, Willian and Oscar as his playmakers.

"If he cannot be fully happy here because he is not playing 100 per cent like he was the last two years, if he has a big club that wants him — even if it's a rival club and in England — the club decided, and I was on the club's side for this feeling, that you cannot stop people to be happy," Mourinho said.

United refused to negotiate with Chelsea in the off-season when Mourinho lodged two bids for Wayne Rooney, who was pushing for a transfer after losing his regular place in United's team.

Mourinho said that hadn't been a factor in dealing with Mata.

"Would Chelsea supporters be happy if we stop a fantastic person, that they all like, from being happy, if we say you only can go to Russia, China, to France or to Portugal, not England?" Mourinho asked.

"To say now, 'You cannot go, Juan, to United because United refused in the summer to sell us Wayne Rooney,' I don't think it's fair to Juan. So if they decide not to sell (Rooney, it's) their decision."

While United was quiet on Friday on Mata's likely transfer, Mourinho said: "Things are going in a good direction. Sooner rather than later, things will be finalized."

The deal would eclipse the 30.7 million pounds that United paid to sign striker Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham in 2008.

United will hope the arrival of Mata, who is likely to be in Spain's squad for the World Cup in Brazil, proves to be a turning point in its so-far lacklustre season under new manager David Moyes.

The team is languishing in seventh place in the Premier League — 14 points behind leader Arsenal — and facing a fight to secure one of the four Champions League places.

United exited the FA Cup at the first hurdle and the League Cup in the semifinals.

The bright spot is still remaining in Champions League title contention going into the round of 16 against Olympiakos next month.

News from © The Associated Press, 2014