Manchester United have reportedly seen their opening low-ball transfer offer for Mason Mount rejected by Chelsea. Erik ten Hag now faces two potential courses of action as the Red Devils look to strike early in the summer transfer window.
United are believed to be at the front of the queue for Mount, whose Chelsea career could be cut short this summer. Having rejected a series of contract offers from the Blues, the midfielder could leave for free in a year’s time as Todd Boehly mulls a big-money sale.
Despite being slapped with an eye-watering £70million price tag, Mount is reported to have interest from United, Arsenal and Liverpool. But the Red Devils struck first this week, according to The Telegraph, by submitting a cheeky £40m offer.
United were turned away on the first attempt, but they are believed to be confident that Mount has no intentions of signing a new deal at Stamford Bridge.
Rejection has presented Ten Hag with two options: go back to Chelsea with an improved offer, or wait patiently for the Blues to come down on their hefty valuation. Taking the second route could open the door for a rival suitor to swoop in and pinch Mount from under their noses.
But lodging a larger bid straight away may convince the Blues to sit tight. United endured a tough window last summer as they were made to cough up extortionate fees for the likes of Casemiro and Antony, despite initially trying their luck with smaller offers.
Chelsea may feel as though United reverting to old habits will allow them to recoup the full £70m asking price for Mount, who has scored 33 goals in 195 appearances for the Blues, becoming an England regular on his ascent to Premier League stardom.
Mount has been unable to escape speculation around his future in recent weeks, with F1 pundit Martin Brundle cornering him at the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this month. When asked whether he would be heading to Old Trafford, he responded: “I’m here to just enjoy the race today. It’s been an amazing day [so far] and I can’t wait to watch it, yeah.”
Although Chelsea hope to thin out their squad over the summer, losing one of their stars to a Premier League rival could give new boss Mauricio Pochettino cause for concern. And Mount isn’t the only key player linked to another of England’s heavy hitters.
Kai Havertz has emerged as a serious target for Arsenal, who are ready to rival Real Madrid for his signature. The German is reportedly open to the prospect of an Emirates Stadium switch as Pochettino assesses his options up top.
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