Man Utd ready to STEP UP Mount efforts

Tom Weber

• 15 Jun 2023 12:00 BST
• 3 min read

Manchester United are readying a second bid for Mason Mount, according to reports.

The Chelsea star looks set to leave Stamford Bridge this summer with Old Trafford a likely destination. The main roadblock to a potential move has, however, always been the Blues' asking price, said to be around €80 million.

Manchester United are not prepared - and perhaps not even able - to spend that kind of money on the Englishman. Their initial £40m (€47m) offer was rejected out of hand by Chelsea's new sporting management - and, indeed, new head coach Mauricio Pochettino still maintains slim hopes of convincing Mount to stay.

Not to be deterred by this rejection, Manchester United are said to be readying an improved offer.

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Will Chelsea soften their stance?

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, the Red Devils "will be back" with a second bid in the near future. Mount remains keen on a move to the red side of Manchester, but there may still be a divergence between what United can pay and what Chelsea want.

Jacobs claims that Chelsea have no intention of softening their stance and budging from their stated valuation. United, for their part, are not willing to offer more than £60m (€70m) - so what now?

It remains to be seen if Chelsea will eventually be forced to compromise due to the risk of losing Mount for nothing next summer looming large.

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Failure to secure a deal for the midfielder will further stoke Erik ten Hag's impatience with the United owners, the Glazers, who are dragging their heels in the takeover saga and are thus hamstringing the Dutchman's summer plans.

Their reluctance to sink any more money into transfers with a sale potentially imminent could cost the Old Trafford club next season and impair Ten Hag's ambitions of challenging for the Premier League.