LONDON -- Juan Mata is edging closer to joining Manchester United from Chelsea as the Premier League champions try to strengthen their squad after a lacklustre first half of the season. Matt Asiata Vikings Jersey Cyber Monday . In a sign that Matas Chelsea departure is nearing, a person familiar with the situation said the midfielder did not train with the first team on Wednesday. United said it is yet to make a formal bid for Mata, but another person with knowledge of the situation said the club is pursuing the Spaniard in the January transfer window. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the transfer is not being discussed publicly. According to Britains Press Association, United has lodged a 40 million-pound ($66-million) bid through a third party. United and its manager, David Moyes, would not take questions on Mata in the post-match news conference after the teams League Cup semifinal defeat to Sunderland later Wednesday. The 25-year-old Mata, Chelseas player of the year for the last two seasons, has fallen out of favour since Jose Mourinho returned as manager in June. He has not played for the team since the Jan. 1 victory against Southampton. Chelsea pulled further away from United in the Premier League title race by beating Moyes side 3-1 on Sunday. While Chelsea is third, just two points from the summit, United is seventh, 14 points behind leader Arsenal. Moyes accepts there is a need to reinforce the squad, with Champions League qualification, by finishing in the top four, far from certain. "I fully understand that supporters are keen to see us freshen up the squad with new faces, but January is a difficult month in which to bring people in," Moyes said in Wednesdays program for the League Cup semifinal against Sunderland. "While we are actively scouting players all the time, a lot of the work we are doing now is preparation for the summer. "If we can do any business now then we will certainly try to do it, but I will not compromise the standards required for a player that can come into this club and help improve it." Selling Mata to United could indicate that Chelsea does not see the 20-time English champions as a major rival this season. United has lost four out of five games at the start of 2014, and was seeking to overturn a 2-1 deficit against Sunderland on Wednesday night to reach the League Cup final. "We all know that our club is undergoing changes at present, but I have a clear path in my mind and I know where we are going," Moyes said in Wednesdays program. Mata would not be eligible to play for United in the Champions League because he has played in the group stage for Chelsea. Adam Thielen Jersey Black Friday . Uruguays soccer federation said it planned to appeal the ban, which prohibits striker Luis Suarez from all soccer activities for four months. The ban also covers Uruguays next nine international games, which rules him out of next years Copa America. Scott Crichton Vikings Jersey Cyber Monday . After the buzzer sounded following the second period of Game 6 on Sunday night, Lundqvist casually skated behind Crosby and sprayed him with water while Crosby was down on the ice. No penalty was called. The league punished Lundqvist on Monday night for unsportsmanlike conduct.Strasbourg, France (SportsNetwork.com) - Former champion Andrea Petkovic was a quarterfinal upset victim Thursday at the Strasbourg International tennis event, a final French Open tune-up. Promising Puerto Rican Monica Puig upended the fourth-seeded German Petkovic 6-4, 6-4 on the red clay at Strasbourg Tennis Club. The former top-10 star Petkovic titled here three years ago. A pair of American reachedd the semifinals, as Christina McHale was leading Zarina Diyas 6-2, 3-1 when the Kazakhstani retired on Day 4, while Madison Keys took out German Julia Goerges 6-2, 2-6, 6-2. Andrew Sendejo Jersey Black Friday. One other quarterfinal saw Spaniard Silvia Soler-Espinosa defeat Italian Camila Giorgi 3-6, 6-4, 7-5. Fridays all-non-seed semis will pit Keys against Puig and McHale versus the qualifier Soler-Espinosa. Cheap Soccer Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '
