Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata will enjoy regular first-team football at the club, manager Jose Mourinho said.
The Spaniard was not Mourinho's first choice when both of them were at Chelsea but the Portuguese insists that there is space for the 28-year-old in his squad this season.
Mourinho also rejected claims that he asked Chelsea to sell the Spaniard when he was in charge at Stamford Bridge.
"He's here and he works hard," Mourinho said.
"He knows that I know he is a good player and he has space in the squad.
"Until August 31 the market is open for every one of my players that is not happy, but to be fair I think he is [happy].
"I think he is happy and I am not expecting him to ask to leave. I am expecting him to do what he is doing now, which is to fight for a place.
"In the end there will be space for everyone, we have 38 matches in the Premier League, we expect to play a lot of them in the Europa League and domestic cups so in a squad of, let's say, 22 players, there will be a space for everyone.
"So, yes, there is a space for Juan.
"I never told Mata to leave [when at Chelsea], I never pressed the club to sell him.
"It was his decision and only his decision, and I don't like players that want to leave.
"That's why I think every player has a price because if one day a player wants to leave it is because he does not want to be with us.
"If the player doesn't want to be with us, goodbye - be happy where you want to go. Juan at our previous club was not so happy because he was not my first choice at that time. He wanted to play every game.
"He had a fantastic offer from a big club like Man United, he wanted to leave. My previous club had a great offer, we thought that was financially very much acceptable."
