Mason Mount said Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United blueprint convinced him to leave boyhood club Chelsea. The 24-year-old midfielder is Ten Hag’s first signing of the summer in a transfer deal worth an initial £55m, plus a possible £5m in add-ons.
Mount has signed a five-year contract with the option for a further year. “Having met with the manager, and discussed his plans, I couldn’t be more excited for the seasons ahead,” said England international Mount. “Everyone can see that the club has made big steps forward under Erik ten Hag. I am hugely ambitious; I know how amazing it feels to win major trophies and what it takes to do it. I will be giving everything to experience that again at Manchester United.”
Chelsea rejected United’s first three bids for Mount before an agreement was reached. The London club spent £600m last season and needed to sell to ease Financial Fair Play (FFP) concerns. They preferred not to lose a player who joined them aged six, but were unable to negotiate a new contract with his deal set to expire next year.
“It’s never easy leaving the club where you grew up, but Manchester United will provide an exciting new challenge for the next phase of my career,” Mount added.