Breaking: Mason Mount Emerges as Top Transfer Target for Manchester United's Erik ten Hag
Man Utd's pursuit of Mason Mount intensifies as they secure a £60m deal with Chelsea Discover the reasons behind United's interest, Mount's potential role, and his impact under Erik ten Hag's leadership
Erik ten Hag initially encountered Mason Mount during his time as the head coach of Ajax. At that time, Mount was on loan at Vitesse Arnhem, and his impressive free-kick resulted in his team's third goal, leading to a 3-2 victory over Ajax in March 2018.
Following this encounter, Ten Hag, who had only been in charge of Ajax for eight games at the time, expressed interest in securing a loan deal with Chelsea for Mount in the subsequent season. Mount's exceptional performance in his debut senior football season, where he scored 14 goals and provided 10 assists primarily as a central midfielder, had captured Ten Hag's attention.
Image:
Mason Mount made a strong impression during his loan spell at Vitesse Arnhem as a young player. Subsequent to enduring a challenging fourth season at Chelsea and a tumultuous first year under the club's new ownership, Manchester United has reached an agreement with Chelsea to acquire Mason Mount for a sum of £60m.
The deal between News and United includes £5m in potential add-ons, which heavily rely on appearances and success. United has presented the England international with a five-year contract, along with an option for an extra year. With just one year remaining in his contract, Chelsea realizes that this is the opportune moment to capitalize on the player. Ten Hag appears to be on the verge of securing his desired acquisition.
Why do Man Utd want Mount?
In the previous season of 2022/23, the addition of Casemiro (£70m) and Christian Eriksen (free) in the summer strengthened United's midfield, especially in terms of first-choice options.
The trio of Casemiro, Eriksen, and Bruno Fernandes, preferred by Ten Hag, only suffered one defeat when they played together last season, proving their effectiveness. However, the quality noticeably declined when Fred, Scott McTominay, and Donny van de Beek were called upon.
In addition, as the campaign progressed, it became evident that Eriksen, despite his distinct qualities in possession, faced difficulties in maintaining his peak performance throughout the entire 90 minutes. Following the Christmas break, the Danish international managed to complete only one out of the 15 matches he started.
Image:
Eriksen has struggled at the end of the season, while Bruno Fernandes has been a near ever present
Mount's presence would undoubtedly solve United's midfield problems, enhancing both the quality and depth of the team. With his exceptional work-rate both defensively and offensively, he is a player that managers can place their trust in.
Former Chelsea manager Tuchel described Mason as someone who exudes a particular attitude, aura, and mentality on the pitch. In 2021, Tuchel expressed that it's incredibly difficult to leave him out of the starting lineup because even on an off day, he consistently displays unwavering energy, positivity, and a remarkable approach.
Tuchel's words will be a welcome sound to Ten Hag. Mount possesses all the desired qualities he seeks.
Mount's ability to contribute goals and assists is often underestimated. With United's goal-scoring struggles this season, they are actively seeking a striker to address the issue. However, acquiring an additional goal-scoring option is imperative.
Image:
Mount had the highest number of goal involvements during his most successful season at Chelsea. Excluding the most recent campaign, he contributed to a total of 44 goals in 105 Premier League matches across his first three seasons. Only Kevin De Bruyne from Manchester City (74) and Fernandes (61) had more goal involvements among midfielders.
Where would Mount fit in at Man Utd?
Mount, who is only 24 years old, has yet to reach his peak potential. This presents an exciting opportunity for United to acquire an already established England international at a lower cost, with the added benefits of further growth and development. Opportunities like this are rare occurrences.
Image:
Mount, who emerged from the Chelsea academy, could potentially leave the team. The tactics utilized by Ten Hag this season indicate that Mount's skills are best suited for one of the two No 8 roles typically held by Eriksen and Fernandes, while Casemiro takes on a defensive anchor position.
Mount has shown, under Tuchel, that he can make a difference as part of a front three on either wing. This means he could perform a similar role to Fernandes, potentially reducing the pressure on the Portuguese midfielder.
If he were given the No 8 position, Mount would be required to contribute both in attack and defense, although the majority of his focus would be on the opponent's half.
Ten Hag prefers his No 8s to apply pressure high up the field, forcing the opposition to retreat. This style of play would be ideal for Mount, as he has proven to excel when positioned in those intermediate areas closer to the opponent's goal. Moreover, Mount possesses the stamina and ability to pose a threat to opposing defences when operating in the attacking third.
United showcased one of their finest team goals this season when Rashford's exceptional performance sealed their victory with a 2-1 score against Crystal Palace in February. This stellar play perfectly exemplified Ten Hag's offensive vision for his No 8s. Examining the corresponding image, it becomes evident that right from the goalkeeper's possession, the two skilled midfielders, Fernandes and Casemiro (highlighted), strategically positioned themselves further up the field. Their objective was to increase the distance between Palace's striker and their midfield line, effectively creating more space to exploit.
This is done to create space for the goalkeeper, defenders and holding midfielder as they build up the play.
In the next phase of the attack, the two No 8s actively join the attackers, forming a front five to put pressure on the opposition defense. This formation is flexible and dependent on the dynamic energy and movement of the advanced midfielders, who work towards stretching the opponent's defense by venturing into wider areas.
In the given image, both Casemiro and Fernandes can be seen in motion, actively seeking opportunities to receive the ball.
In the ultimate image, Fernandes sprints out to the right side, presenting an opportunity for Casemiro who is positioned inside. Mount, who has experience playing as a Number 10 and in various wide positions, possesses the capability to execute a precise cross or initiate plays within the compact, constrained areas.
In this particular scenario, Aaron Wan-Bissaka made the choice to pass the ball to Casemiro. Subsequently, he executed a first-time pass to Alejandro Garnacho, who skillfully distributed it to Luke Shaw. The ensuing low cross delivered by Shaw brilliantly resulted in a conversion by Rashford.
The crucial aspect here is that although Fernandes doesn't directly influence the play, his wide run enables Antony to move inward from the right and consequently opens up space for Garnacho, who then assists in creating the opportunity.
Ten Hag heavily depends on his Number 8 players to generate chances, both when they have possession and when they don't.
His system seems to be a good fit for someone with Mount's skill set. Given the demanding nature of the position, it is logical to have multiple options to rotate between Eriksen, Fernandes, and, potentially, Mount.
