Racing Santander snap up Jaime Mata as emergency striker solution
Veteran forward Jaime Mata joins Racing Santander on a short-term deal until season's end to bolster their injury-hit attack after leaving Las Palmas.
Racing Santander have moved quickly to address their attacking crisis by bringing in experienced striker Jaime Mata on a deal until the end of the season.
Injury Crisis Forces Racing’s Hand
The Segunda División outfit have been absolutely gutted by injuries up front in recent weeks. Their situation became desperate after:
- Manex Lozano was ruled out for the remainder of the season
- Asier Villalibre suffered a serious muscle injury
- Arana is only just returning to training and lacks match fitness
With options thin on the ground, Racing have pounced on the opportunity to sign the 35-year-old Madrid-born striker who recently terminated his contract with Las Palmas.
Local Connections
Interestingly, Mata already has strong ties to the Cantabria region. The veteran forward has family connections in the area and even owns a house in the coastal town of Mogro - making this move a proper bit of bread and butter for all parties involved.
Wealth of Experience
Mata brings a mountain of experience to Racing’s frontline. The striker has racked up an impressive 511 professional appearances throughout his career, including:
- 206 matches in La Liga
- One cap for the Spanish national team (against Norway)
- Stints at Rayo Vallecano, Lleida Esportiu, Girona, Real Valladolid, Getafe and Las Palmas
His goalscoring record speaks for itself, with over 150 goals across his extensive career. Standing at 1.86m tall, Mata will don the number 17 shirt for his new club.
The new signing will join up with José Alberto’s squad for training starting Tuesday, February 10th, as Racing look to strengthen their position in Spain’s second tier.