Manchester United and Liverpool have suffered a big blow in pursuit of Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount as the Blues are ‘optimistic’ of persuading him to sign a new long-term deal, as per the transfer journalist Simon Phillips.
The midfielder has entered the final 15 months of his current contract and hasn’t signed an extension yet. It has previously been suggested that the 24-year-old has been demanding a big salary hike to commit his future but the West London club are reluctant to match his requests.
So, talks regarding a new deal have reached an impasse and it is looking likely that he would leave Stamford Bridge at the end of this season. Liverpool and Man Utd are reportedly waiting in the wings to take advantage of this situation and sign him this summer in a cut-price deal.
However, it looks like Man Utd and Liverpool face a battle to sign Mount, as speaking to GiveMeSport, Phillips has said that Chelsea will make a final push to keep Mount at the club and they are ‘feeling more optimistic’ that the new proposal they are going to offer will be enough to persuade the Englishman to sign the extension.
Liverpool and Man Utd suffer blow
Phillips said:
“The talks will come and Chelsea are feeling a little bit more optimistic that the new set of terms that they’re going to put on the table will hopefully be accepted by Mason Mount.”
It has widely been suggested that Man Utd and Liverpool are looking to strengthen their midfield departments this summer and both have identified Mount as a serious target.
The Blues’ star has already showcased his talent at the highest level over the last few years, so he would certainly be a great coup for Man Utd or Liverpool if either club were to secure his service during the off-season.
However, should Mount – valued at around £57m by Transfermarkt – decide to stay at Chelsea and sign a new deal then United and the Reds would be needed to shift their focus to alternative targets.
