MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester United smashed the clubs transfer record to sign Juan Mata from Chelsea for 37. Adrian Gonzalez Dodgers Jersey .1 million pounds ($61.2 million) on Saturday, giving the beleaguered English Premier League champions a major lift. The Spain midfielder was deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea after losing his place in the team since Jose Mourinhos return as manager last summer. The move, which is the most high-profile yet in Europes January transfer window, will guarantee Mata is back playing regular football ahead of the World Cup in Brazil. It is also a statement of intent from United amid a tough period for new manager David Moyes, whose team is seventh in the Premier League and struggling to qualify for the lucrative Champions League. "United is the perfect place for me and I am excited at the chance I have to be part of the next phase in the clubs history," said the 25-year-old Mata, who was flown to Manchester by helicopter on Saturday so he could undergo his medical examination and agree on personal terms. "Chelsea is a top club and I have many friends there but you cannot turn down the chance to join Manchester United." Mata was Chelseas player of the year for the last two seasons but has spent most of the 2013-14 campaign on the substitutes bench, with Mourinho deciding to make Brazil international Oscar his No. 1 playmaker. Mourinho granted Matas request to leave Stamford Bridge in light of Uniteds interest and having already found a virtual replacement in Egypt winger Mohamed Salah, who is close to joining from Swiss team Basel. "I and everyone at Chelsea have massive respect for Juan and his big talent, and when he told us of his wish to move on because he wanted to play more, we did not want to deny him this opportunity," Mourinho said. "We want him to be successful in his career and as well as that, this transfer makes huge financial sense to us at Chelsea." Moyes has made a decisive move in the transfer market after being criticized for his sluggish dealings in the off-season, when United missed out on the clubs primary targets and brought in only one player -- Marouane Fellaini -- in the final minutes of deadline day. Fellaini has so far been a major disappointment and is out injured. Matas arrival will create a buzz around Old Trafford and excite fans who have seen United slip 14 points behind leader Arsenal in the Premier League, be eliminated from the FA Cup at the first hurdle and, most recently, lose to Sunderland in the League Cup semifinals. Last season, United romped to the league title by 11 points under Alex Ferguson. Once Moyes gets strikers Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney back fit, their combination with Mata and talented young winger Adnan Januzaj should ensure they seriously challenge Liverpool, Tottenham and Everton for the fourth and final Champions League spot. United is six points behind fourth-place Liverpool. "Juan is one of the finest playmakers in the game today and its a real pleasure to have secured his signature," Moyes said. Moyes confirmed Mata will make his debut in the league game against Cardiff at Old Trafford on Tuesday, although he may take time to return to top form after being underused at Chelsea in recent months. Mata played 135 times for Chelsea following his move from Spanish team Valencia in 2011. "I have enjoyed some very happy years at Chelsea," Mata said, "but the time has come for a new challenge." Matas transfer fee eclipses the figure United spent on Dimitar Berbatov, who joined for 30.7 million pounds from Tottenham in 2008. Yasiel Puig Jersey .S. -- Kelsey Rocque remains the only unbeaten womens skip at the Canadian junior curling championships. Andre Ethier Authentic Jersey .J. -- Before his team took the ice to face the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday, New Jersey Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk spoke to head coach Peter DeBoer about the possibility of taking a penalty shot. CHICAGO -- Oswaldo Arcias first hit of the season helped give the Minnesota Twins their first win. Chris Colabello had a career-high six RBIs and doubled twice, Arcia hit a go-ahead triple in the ninth inning and the Twins avoided a season-opening sweep with a 10-9 comeback win Thursday over the Chicago White Sox. Manager Ron Gardenhire got his 999th career victory, and Glen Perkins picked up his first save after squandering the lead Wednesday. "Obviously, every day were just going out and trying to compete," Arcia said through a translator. "We competed the whole series and looking forward to carrying this one over." On Thursday, it was the White Sox who couldnt finish. Trailing 9-8 heading into the ninth after Marcus Semien homered in the bottom of the eighth off Caleb Thielbar (1-0), the Twins scored twice off Chicago closer Matt Lindstrom (0-1), who blew his first save chance in two opportunities. Trevor Plouffe singled with two outs in the ninth to tie the game before Arcias triple off the wall in centre gave Minnesota a 10-9 lead. Arcia had been 0 for 13, but his empty start ended at the best time for Minnesota. Colabellos three-run double in the third gave Minnesota a 3-1 edge, and his fifth-inning double off Jose Quintana gave the Twins a 5-1 lead. He also had an RBI groundout in the seventh to complete a career game when the raw conditions (37 degrees at game time) were challenging. "Obviously, I had to have guys on base in front of me," Colabello said. "Just tried to have good at-bats." What Colabello and Arcia did helped the Twins win in starter Phil Hughes debut. Signed by the Twins to a three-year, $24 million contract after seven years with the Yankees, he lasted five innings in his debut and allowed four runs, seven hits and two home runs while striking out seven. Over his last two seasons with the Yankees, Hughes gave up 59 home runs. The two he allowed Thursday were to Alejandro De Aza and Adam Dunn, but he left with a 5-4 lead. Jose Abrreu, signed to a six-year, $68 million contract, helped erase that lead. Kirk Gibson Authentic Jersey. He went 2 for 4 with a double and triple and four RBIs. His fifth-inning double cut the Twins lead to 5-2, and then his bases-loaded triple against Anthony Swarzak gave the White Sox an 8-5 edge in the sixth. De Azas home run was his third of the season and Dunns tied Dave Kingman for 38th all-time with 442, while Tyler Flowers had a career-high four hits. That put Quintana in position for his first win of the year after he went six innings and allowed five runs -- two earned. "He pitched fine," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "I think he had a couple innings there where it got away on him but other than that, he gave us what we needed." He got that no-decision when Josmil Pinto homered in the eighth off Ronald Belisario, and the White Sox lost in the ninth when Lindstrom allowed two runs. "We put up some runs on the board," Lindstrom said. "We came back when we were down, guys putting together great at-bats, playing good defence, so it feels bad kind of letting the team down in that sense." NOTES: The Twins reinstated LHP Brian Duensing from the paternity leave list before the game. RHP Michael Tonkin was optioned to Triple-A Rochester. ... Gardenhire said theyd try to avoid using RHP Casey Fien after Fien sustained a left ankle bruise Wednesday. ... Ventura joked that delays for instant replays are annoying "if they go against us" before saying "thats part of it and were going to have to deal with it." ... The White Sox went 26-50 against the AL Central last season, and Ventura stressed that the White Sox must improve against the division. "You got some people that made the playoffs probably because of our won and loss record." ... Twins RHP Mike Pelfrey will face Indians RHP Danny Salazar on Friday in Cleveland. ... RHP Erik Johnson is scheduled to start Friday for the White Sox in Kansas City against RHP Jeremy Guthrie. cheap jerseys ' ' '
