[Sport] Mason Mount: What will the England midfielder bring to Manchester United?

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Mason Mount is heading to Manchester United as manager Erik ten Hag looks to inject fresh impetus into his side and build on an encouraging first season in charge.

United have agreed a deal worth £55m, plus £5m in add-ons, to sign England midfielder Mount from Chelsea.

Mount, 24, has been an important player for the Blues since breaking into their first team in 2019-20, but will he fit in at Old Trafford? And how?

'A top player and a top lad'

United's desire to sign Mount is understandable.

Here is an industrious, intelligent, creative midfielder, entering his prime with a wealth of Premier League and international experience under his belt. What is not to like? Digging deeper only makes the case more compelling.

Since making his Blues debut in 2019 - following successful loan spells in the Netherlands with Vitesse Arnhem and the Championship with Derby - Mount has amassed 195 appearances for the club, scoring 33 goals.

He helped Chelsea win the Champions League in 2021, starting in the final against Manchester City, and also has Fifa Club World Cup and Uefa Super Cup medals in his collection.

Like many in Chelsea's squad last season, Mount struggled for form, which was compounded by injury issues. In what became a turbulent and fraught campaign for the Blues, which they ended 12th in the Premier League, he was abused by some fans on social media.

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However, he has few bigger advocates than the man who was his boss on loan at Derby, handed him his Chelsea debut and under whose management he spent the back end of 2022-23.

"I'm not going to tell anyone what opinion they should have on football, but if anyone thinks Mason Mount is not already a top-level player then I'm not sure what they're seeing," said Frank Lampard in April.

"You can ask myself, you can ask Thomas Tuchel, you can ask Gareth Southgate, you can ask Graham Potter. It's clear he's a top player and a top lad.

"The first thing a top player should have is a real hunger to succeed and play and do well for Chelsea, and he's had that since the first day I took him to Derby. That's simple for me. He's still a young player. He can go even further but he's already a top player."

It is a sentiment echoed by England boss Southgate, who has given the player 36 caps, including four at the World Cup finals in Qatar.

"He is an exceptional player," said Southgate. "He finds space intelligently, he manipulates the ball very well, he creates chances and he scores goals."

Southgate's England have benefited to the tune of five goals from Mount. His best scoring season for Chelsea came in 2021-22, during which he provided 13 across all competitions. The 58 chances he created that season were also the most of any Chelsea player.

link: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65984561