Manchester United have reportedly upped their offer for Mason Mount in a bid to clinch a deal for the Chelsea star, but the Blues remain bullish
Mount has emerged as a target for Erik ten Hag's side after failing to agree terms on a new deal at Stamford Bridge. He has just one year left on his deal, but the London club are continuing to hold out for a hefty fee.
Chelsea's position has been strengthened by other sales, with Mauricio Pochettino's side poised to bring in as much as £95m for Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic. With further departures to follow, they may yet force United to come up on their valuation of Mount.
According to The Athletic, United's new and improved Mount bid is worth an initial £45m plus £5m in add-ons. Chelsea, who turned down an earlier bid, are said to be holding out for £60m plus £5m, but reports suggest United have an upper limit on how much they are prepared to offer.
The latest bid comes as Chelsea prepare for an influx of funds as they prepare to trim their squad. The Athletic also reports Arsenal have an agreement in principle over a deal for Kai Havertz, worth up to £65m, while Manchester City could find themselves paying up to £30m for the inbound Mateo Kovacic.
Those two aren't the only players on the move, with interest from Saudi Arabia in the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly and Hakim Ziyech. The recent business is allowing Chelsea to stand their ground when it comes to Mount, despite the 24-year-old entering the final 12 months of his deal.
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Mount is still on the contract he signed with Chelsea shortly before making his debut in 2019. For this reason, the academy graduate is far from the highest earner in West London, with the club unable to reach agreement on new terms which could bring him in line with senior team-mates.
A move to Old Trafford would likely come with a salary bump, and could yet be followed by a reunion with his friend and England colleague Declan Rice. West Ham captain Rice has emerged as a target for United, with a part-exchange deal being mooted, though Arsenal also remain in the mix for the midfielder.
Mount, who had fruitful loan spells at Vitesse and Derby County before making his Chelsea debut, has scored 33 goals in 195 senior appearances for the Blues. The 2022-23 season was a difficult one for him, though, with just three goals as the Blues struggled under a number of managers and finished in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
