Will Pochettino Block Manchester United’s Move for Mason Mount?
Dimitar Berbatov, former Manchester United striker, believes incoming Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino will try to block Manchester United’s move for Mason Mount. United have already made two unsuccessful bids for the England star, who has stalled over signing a new deal as he enters the final 12 months of his contract at Stamford Bridge.
Mount has been a mainstay in the Chelsea side for the past four years and helped his boyhood club win the Champions League under Thomas Tuchel. While he endured an underwhelming 2022-23 campaign, Chelsea is holding out for £70m as they look to recoup some of the £600m they have spent on transfers over the past 12 months.
Berbatov insists Mount would be a ‘good option’ for his former club but reckons there could yet be a twist in the transfer race when Pochettino officially takes over at Chelsea in July. “Mauricio will want to speak to all the players in the squad and see where they are mentally and whether they want to commit to doing their best for Chelsea next season. Decisions will be made once these conversations are held,” said Berbatov.
Ultimately, Berbatov believes Pochettino would like to keep Mason at Chelsea because he’s a good player. “If not, then if Mason decides to join Manchester United, then I believe he would be a good option in their squad. People will say that Manchester United already have Bruno Fernandes in Mason’s position, but the season is a marathon and Manchester United will be competing in the Premier League, the Champions League and the other cup competitions, so you need a lot of quality in your squad if you’re going to compete on all fronts.”
As well as starring for Chelsea over the past four seasons, Mount has also developed into a key member of Gareth Southgate’s England squad and featured in last year’s World Cup in Qatar. Arsenal and Liverpool were linked with the 24-year-old earlier in the year, but Manchester United has emerged as the frontrunner to secure his signature.
In conclusion, it remains to be seen whether Pochettino can convince Mason to stay at Stamford Bridge and whether he will be desperate to keep him at Chelsea. The transfer race for Mason Mount will continue to be a topic of interest for football fans, especially with the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea next week.