Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag is interested in Chelsea midfielder
According to The Sun, Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag is very much interested in signing Chelsea star midfielder in the summer transfer window. This update is quite shocking indeed, considering how the midfielder has already expressed that he is looking forward to the next season.
He will see his current contract with the Blues expire in 2024. Furthermore, he also earns meagre wages of £88,000-a-week which is quite low indeed. His long-term future at Stamford Bridge is in uncertain waters as talks over an extension have taken a backseat following the lengthy takeover duration and their priority to focus on their defence.
Ten Hag wants Man United to take advantage, and his side have already expressed their interest with the English midfielder’s entourage. The boss has tracked Mount’s progress since the midfielder’s loan days at Vitesse Arnhem and will actively target him if he is made available in the market.
Where would Mount fit though?
There is no doubt that Mount is one of the best players in the Premier League in his position, which could be the reason why teams like Manchester City, Liverpool and Barcelona are in the mix as well. His 13 goals and 16 assists from 53 matches this season would probably give more incentives for all the interested parties to target him in the future.
However, the 23-year-old primarily plays as an attacking midfielder which does raise questions about whether we should target him at all in the first place. After all, we already have Bruno Fernandes and Donny van de Beek in that role and signing another number ten may not be wise when there are other areas that need bolstering.
Hence it is advisable that this piece of information is taken with a pinch of salt, especially when the Manchester club are going through a delicate phase. Prising away a key player from one of your direct rivals is always challenging and would take considerable effort and money from our side.
As such, pursuing Mount does not make sense where positions like holding midfield, centre-back, striker or right-back need to be strengthened this summer. The Red Devils are looking to facilitate a rebuild with a fresh start under ten Hag.
Furthermore, ten Hag himself is well known for making reasonable demands that align with the club’s circumstances, which is evident from his spell at Ajax. In such a case, it is difficult to see why he would look to target Mount when we are already stacked in that position, unlike other areas.
Hence, let’s wait and see how this situation will turn out in the coming weeks ahead of the next season. It would be best if we wait for more reliable sources before forming an opinion on this matter.