Manchester United have made it a transfer priority to sign a midfielder this summer and Chelsea’s Mason Mount is top of their wishlist, but the Red Devils haven’t had much luck bringing him to Old Trafford.
United have made multiple offers for the 24-year-old rejected and they’re close to giving up. Their latest offer was £50m plus £5m in add ons. Chelsea countered with £58m plus £7m in add ons, as per the BBC.
Man Utd were thought to have moved on to other targets after refusing to meet Chelsea’s demands. However, Fabrizio Romano says their latest £55m bid still stands and has been left on the table. Chelsea aren’t budging just yet, but Romano says Mount wants Man Utd move ‘now’, or he’ll leave as a free agent in 12 months.
United desperate for a midfielder
Donny Van der Beek doesn’t appear to have a future at United, Marcel Sabitzer didn’t turn his loan move permanent, and Scott McTominay could be on his way out this summer, so Erik ten Hag may need at least one player coming in the opposite direction.
Mount has made 195 appearances in all competitions since rising through the youth ranks to Chelsea’s first-team, scoring 33 goals with 37 assists.
The England international’s future at Stamford Bridge is uncertain, however, as his contract is up next year and he isn’t close to putting pen to paper on an extension.
Chelsea finished in the bottom half of the Premier League last season too, so they aren’t in a good place currently. It would be a better career move to join Man United this summer, but Mount making the decision to leave his boyhood club would be with a heavy heart.
Chelsea undergoing squad overhaul
Chelsea spent more than £500m on new players in the last two windows and are looking to trim the squad this summer, so Mount could be one of many players on his way out.
N’Golo Kante is set to join Al Ittihad, Mateo Kovacic could join Manchester City, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek was linked with a move weeks ago, so Mount’s exit might leave Chelsea very short in the engine room.
Mauricio Pochettino will still have Enzo Fernandez, Denis Zakaria and Conor Gallagher at his disposal, but he’s sure to reinvest the potential Mount money towards a replacement.
It remains to be seen whether Chelsea will accept United’s bid, however, as they’d been stubborn in negotiations.
