Manchester United have acted quickly in the summer transfer window following their £60million move to sign Mason Mount from Chelsea. The two parties had been locked in negotiations regarding Mount for a number of weeks with the Blues setting a firm asking price which saw them reject three bids from Man United.
Eventually, following a £50million proposal being submitted, face-to-face talks began and a compromise was met at £60million. Late into the evening on Tuesday, July 4, Mount posted a message to his Instagram confirming that he would be leaving his boyhood club
"Given the speculation over the last six months this may not come as a surprise to you, but it doesn't make it any easier to tell you I have made the decision to leave Chelsea," said the Cobham graduate. "I thought you deserved more than just a written statement, so I wanted to tell you directly how grateful I have been for all of your support over the last 18 years.
"I know some of you won't be happy with my decision but it's what is right for me at this moment in my career. I joined Chelsea when I was six-years-old and we have been through a lot together, winning the Youth Cup, my Player of the Year awards, the Super Cup, the Club World Cup and of course the unforgettable night when we won the Champions League... wish you all the best."
The following day Man United confirmed Mount as their first summer signing and within just over 24 hours, offers had been prepared for another two stars. Inter's Andre Onana is their top target to replace David De Gea who looks set to depart the club after his contract expired last month.
After seeing an opening offer turned down, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano is reporting, a second bid totalling €50million (£42m) is being prepared by those at Old Trafford. Alongside signing a goalkeeper, a new striker is wanted by Erik ten Hag and an opening offer to sign Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund has been launched, according to The Telegraph.
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Their report reveals United are lining up a £50million bid in an attempt to make Hojlund their new first-choice striker. It had been widely reported that Chelsea were going to solve the Mount saga before then switching their focus onto Moises Caicedo and potentially signing a new striker and goalkeeper.
However, how Man United and the Blues have responded to Mount's transfer being finalised is very different. While ten Hag's side have started working on two other deals with formal bids having already been submitted or in the pipeline, Chelsea are no closer to sealing a move for Caicedo.
If anything they could be further away from his signature after a new report from the Telegraph revealed that Brighton are poised to ask for up to £100million to sanction an exit for Caicedo. Their report states the Seagulls are using Declan Rice's imminent £105million move to Arsenal as a benchmark to demand the upmost funds for their own star midfielder.
A new striker and shot-stopper are also wanted this summer but no real priority target for either position has been made clear. Pochettino is sure to be working on deals behind the scenes but Chelsea look as though they are currently being left in the dirt on the transfer front by their rivals, an outcome that needs to change soon and preferably before pre-season officially begins on July 19 with their first clash on the USA tour against Wrexham.
