Manchester United are closing in on the signing of Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount after agreeing a fee worth up to £60million with the Londoners last week.
The England international, who was at Carrington for his medical on Monday, is poised to become United's first signing of the summer transfer window. Manager Erik ten Hag made it one of his primary missions long before the window opened to strengthen his midfield options this summer and Mount is poised to solve that particular objective.
Ten Hag identified the Chelsea ace as his primary target several weeks ago and believes that he will offer the upgrade in talent and renewed energy that the Reds are looking for. United have agreed to pay Chelsea £55m up front and an additional £5m in performance-related add-ons.
Though it is a chunky transfer fee for a player who now has less than 12 months remaining on his contract at Stamford Bridge, it is a deal that makes sense for a variety of reasons: Mount is an established Premier League player, has bags of experience under his belt already and will lower the average age of United's midfield.
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Furthermore, Mount is a well-respected figure within the game, frequently attracting praise from some of football's biggest stars of the past and the present. Here is a look at what some of football's biggest names have had to say about him and his career so far.
Lionel Messi
The Argentina and Inter Miami star waxed lyrical about Mount during an interview back in 2020. Tasked with selecting a collection of young players who had the potential to become global stars, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner selected the Portsmouth-born midfielder as one of them.
Messi said: "Having watched him play he has the potential to be one of the best."
Kylian Mbappe
Messi's former teammate Mbappe also waxed lyrical about Mount in the past. The Paris Saint-Germain star was asked last summer to name three players that he would like to read interviews with in the next edition of France Football magazine.
"Mason Mount, because he is a superb player that we don't yet know much about," said Mbappe.
Paul Scholes
Back in December 2020, former United midfield star Scholes compared Mount to former Chelsea midfielder and manager Frank Lampard. Lampard is widely considered as one of the greatest midfielders of all-time and Scholes, speaking at the time, felt Mount could replicate his success.
Scholes said: "Mason Mount could be a Frank Lampard, he's got the ability to win games for Chelsea. In years to come, he will score a lot of goals like Frank."
Frank Lampard
Lampard, too, is a huge fan of Mount. He has worked with the soon-to-be United midfielder on three separate occasions, coaching him at Chelsea twice and once at Derby County during the 2018/19 campaign.
Lampard, speaking in October 2020, said: "You need people who are prepared to release a lot of energy and speed high up the pitch to win the ball back. You also need quality on the ball and Mason has that. So in terms of relying on him last year, that is just the way the season panned out."
Steven Gerrard
Fellow former England midfielder Gerrard has also praised Mount. Speaking back in November 2021, at which time he was manager of Aston Villa, the former Liverpool captain lauded the 24-year-old's ability.
"I've watched his progress – of course I have," Gerrard said. "He's a big talent for the country. I'm a massive fan of Mason. He plays with a smile on his face. He can create, he can score and he's already a European Cup winner so I don’t think he needs the likes of myself to big him up or praise him. But I must say I'm a fan."
Thomas Tuchel
After Tuchel succeeded Lampard as Chelsea boss back in January 2021, many feared that Mount's game time would significantly reduce. However, the England ace turned out to be one of Tuchel's must valued players, with the German frequently waxing lyrical about him.
Soon after taking charge at Stamford Bridge, the German said: "I don’t want to put a limit to his development. He has a lot of potential. Besides being a great footballer, he is a super-nice guy. He is eager to learn, hungry to win, open-minded."
Jurgen Klopp
Fellow German Klopp is also a fan of Mount, and was reportedly keen on taking him to Anfield not that long ago. He once singled him out for praise after Chelsea defeated Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield in March 2021, a victory secured thanks to a first-half winner from Mount.
Klopp said: "The individual quality of Mason Mount in that moment made the difference."
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