Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount has been heavily linked with a move away this season. The strongest links have been to Manchester United, with some reports suggesting that the club and the player have agreed on personal terms. Mount has a year left on his contract and is just 24 years old. He’s already won a Champions League with Chelsea and is an England international. Like most Chelsea players, Mount had a difficult time this season, but that’s not really led to a drop in his stock.
Mount is a product of Chelsea’s highly regarded youth academy, so it’s a bit of a surprise that he has decided to leave and that Chelsea are willing to let him go. However, once you consider how much he earns compared to some of his teammates, it’s clear why he’s looking to move from the club. He earns £80,000 per month and £4,160,000 per year, making him the club’s sixth-lowest earner. The likes of Denis Zakaria and Charney Chukwuemeka earn more currently, so his demands for a new contract and a move shouldn’t surprise anyone.
He didn’t play much in the latter half of this season, so he hasn’t had many goal contributions this season. He only managed two goals and three assists this season, which isn’t enough for someone of his standard. Each goal contribution was worth £832,000, and his two goals were worth £2,080,000.
There’s no doubt that he’ll earn a lot more if he moves to Manchester United in the summer. Most players at Manchester United earn between £120,000 to £200,000. Arsenal, who have been linked to him, don’t pay as much. On the other hand, Liverpool could manage a similar wage in the last few seasons but aren’t playing Champions League football this season.
Manchester United have Champions League football and can afford the wages he might be after. They also need someone who can offer some of the qualities Eriksen possesses in midfield without compromising on the qualities without the ball.
Mount isn’t just a player who can contribute with goals and assists. He is also an able dribbler and a fantastic presser out of possession, which is something Erik ten Hag values. In fact, Ten Hag has overseen Mount’s progress from his days at Ajax, when Mount was out on loan at Vitesse, and his Ajax side also faced Chelsea when Mount was breaking through the first team.
Mount is also an English international. This is important because managers are often wary of players who might get distracted by offers from clubs outside England. He’s already got a bond with some of the England internationals like Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Jadon Sancho, and Harry Maguire. Ten Hag also values players with a winning mentality, and Mount’s Champions League success suggests that he knows what it takes to win the biggest games. This move makes a lot of sense for both parties.
