Manchester United's midfield conundrum was exposed in the FA Cup final.
With Bruno Fernandes shifted wide to accommodate a more resilient central pairing of Fred and Casemiro, Christian Eriksen played further forward and while the Dane has enjoyed a decent season he struggled to make a mark at Wembley. It's an area Erik ten Hag is working hard to strengthen and United have agreed terms with Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount.
The England international might end up commanding a hefty transfer fee for a player in the final year of his contract, but the 24-year-old offers a quality and versatility United don't currently possess. He arrives with more than 250 senior appearances under his belt and 36 England caps.
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Ten Hag's first choice midfield of Casemiro, Eriksen and Fernandes as a 10 is more than a match for most in the Premier League but beneath that the depth isn't at the level United require if they are to close the gap to champions Manchester City. Mount would provide a starting option and versatile cover, happy centrally or wide if required.
With Eriksen's workload likely to be managed and Casemiro prone to a suspension, having Mount to call upon will prove an upgraded option for the Reds. He's shown his class for Chelsea since breaking into the side at Stamford Bridge and while he has sometimes polarised opinion for England, his international manager Gareth Southgate has no doubts over the quality and versatility the Three Lions man can provide.
"He's a very intelligent player, he can play four, eight or 10," said Southgate, speaking earlier this season. "Obviously that deeper position, Mason doesn't play for his club but I think it's possible for him
"I think he would be able to adjust as required. He is an exceptional player, he finds space intelligently, he manipulates the ball very well, he creates chances and he scores goals."
Having a player capable of challenging for starts straight away, and being able to confidently play across a number of positions is precisely the sort of addition United require. Throw in the experience and quality and you begin to see why Ten Hag feels a potential £50million transfer pursuit is worthwhile. Indeed the player himself knows the value in being adaptable.
"I like to work from box to box, help out defensively but also get forward to score and assist goals for the team," he said, speaking in November 2022. "That's where I think my strengths are. I'm versatile, so I can adapt and play higher up or a lot deeper.
"For me, in this day and age certainly, being able to play different positions is so key. You see formations change even during games and you can play two or three different roles in a game."
It's great squads that win titles, not great teams. Mount could help United make that leap.
A Manchester Evening News special souvenir edition - Fergie's First - charts United's 1992/93 title-winning campaign and you can get your hands on one here
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