Chelsea have accepted a £37million bid for Juan Mata and immediately released the Spanish international to join Manchester United to complete the most dramatic deal of the transfer window.

Mata will undergo a medical on Thursday at United before completing the move that will see him more than double his £70,000-a-week Chelsea salary at Old Trafford.

Chelsea have been braced for a bid since Monday for Mata and finally received the offer triggering their acceptance and the release of the player.

The Premier League club are not expecting the 25-year-old to return to them and have already made plans for his replacements. A medical has been booked in for Thursday for Mata and personal terms accepted.

United chose a slightly unusual route to lodge their bid, using intermediaries, but Chelsea have accepted the offer as an official one and manager Jose Mourinho has sanctioned the move.

@mata go to footyroom profile and ask nicely or make a post about it.