Man Utd steal march on Liverpool in race for Mount

Tom Hancock

• 24 May 2023 20:08 BST
• 3 min read

Mason Mount is leaning towards a move to Manchester United, should he leave Chelsea this summer.

The England midfielder continues to be strongly linked with an exit from Stamford Bridge, as part of a possible mass clear-out by the Blues after a thoroughly underwhelming season.

Liverpool are also said to have been targeting the 24-year-old – but, as confirmed by FootballTransfers earlier today, the Reds have reservations over Chelsea’s £85m valuation of their academy product.

READ: EXCLUSIVE | Chelsea justify £85m Mount price tag as Liverpool fear Man Utd bidding war

According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, it is thought that Man Utd and Chelsea will open talks soon about a potential deal for Mount.

Ornstein adds that other clubs chasing his signature are aware that Old Trafford is his preferred destination.

With Mount out of contract in June 2024 and seemingly set against extending his stay in West London, the upcoming transfer window appears likely to be Chelsea’s last chance to cash in.

READ: Ten Hag further fuels Neymar to Man Utd transfer talk

Time for one of Chelsea’s own to move onto his next chapter?

After rising through the Chelsea youth ranks and impressing on loan at Vitesse Arnhem and Derby County, Mount was handed his Blues first-team debut by Frank Lampard on the opening day of the 2019/20 campaign – incidentally, against United.

He’s gone on to make almost 200 appearances for his boyhood club, scoring 33 goals and helping them to Champions League glory two years ago.

A switch to Man Utd would, barring a disastrous end to the season for Erik ten Hag’s side, see Mount return to Europe’s top club competition – as he looks to maintain his place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad in the run-up to next summer’s Euro 2024 in Germany.