Mason Mount is heading to Manchester United in a transfer worth a potential £60million – but he leaves Chelsea against the wishes of manager Mauricio Pochettino.
After prolonged negotiations, which were at risk of collapsing, United struck an agreement on Thursday to pay Chelsea £55m, with another £5m in add-ons. Having been on just £80,000-a-week at Chelsea, Mount will earn a basic salary of £250,000-a-week at his new club.
Mount is expected to undergo his medical early next week and will then become a part of the growing exodus from Chelsea, with Kai Havertz, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic already gone and Hakim Ziyech and Ruben Loftus-Cheek close to following suit.
Following the over expenditure of the past few transfer windows, Chelsea needed to complete a squad overhaul this summer. But while Pochettino was on board with the exits listed above, he was less keen to say goodbye to Mount.
Pochettino is known to prefer to work with small, tight-knit squads so he can foster a team spirit and ensure his demands are being adhered to. Mount struggled with injuries last season and only contributed three goals and two assists in 24 Premier League games, yet at his best he has the clear capabilities to flourish under Pochettino’s management.
As Mirror Football reported in May before Pochettino’s arrival was officially confirmed, Pochettino saw Mount as a key part of his Chelsea project. Mount’s playmaking ability, work ethic and love for his boyhood club made him a good fit for the incoming boss.
He wants to build upon a base of youth and the 24-year-old may have thrived alongside the likes of Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Benoit Badiashile and Levi Colwill in a new-look side. For his part, Mount wanted to stay with Chelsea for much of last season, but felt undervalued, given his £80,000-a-week wages did not even put him inside the top 20 earners at the club.
He rejected an offer of around £200,000 per week in November and Chelsea never ventured above that figure. Once interest from Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United emerged, Mount was clear that he preferred a move to Old Trafford.
Mount will leave Chelsea with a heavy heart, having come through the club’s academy to become one of their most successful graduates. He made 195 appearances for the first team, contributing 33 goals and 37 assists and winning the club’s player of the season award on two occasions.
Pochettino will have a huge task on his hands in pre-season, with the Blues embarking on a complete rebuild. More exits are expected, while Christopher Nkunku is the only arrival to have been confirmed so far, with a £52m move from RB Leipzig going through on July 1.
Chelsea are understood to be keen on Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, who has already agreed personal terms with the club. The 21-year-old Ecuador international came close to joining Arsenal in January but with the Gunners pushing for Declan Rice, the Blues have a clear opportunity to get a deal done.
