Ten Hag aims to sign Mount in overhaul of United squad
Erik ten Hag is confident he can persuade Mason Mount to join Manchester United as part of a summer overhaul demanded by the manager.
Mount is wanted by United, Liverpool and Arsenal and is yet to make a final decision over his future, although the England midfielder appears certain to leave Chelsea.
Ten Hag made pointed comments following United’s last Premier League game of the season, a 2-1 win against Fulham at Old Trafford, when he said their success this season, primarily earning a place back in the Champions League, had come despite a failure to back him in the winter transfer window.
Ten Hag had wanted United to sign Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven in January only for Gakpo to join Liverpool for an initial £37million. United signed Wout Weghorst and, following Christian Eriksen’s injury, Marcel Sabitzer on loan.
“The club knows if you want to play top four, compete for trophies in this tough league then you have to invest, otherwise you don’t have a chance because other clubs will do,” Ten Hag said.
The situation is further complicated, of course, because of the uncertainty over United’s ownership and it is understood that Ten Hag’s frustrations, which he is beginning to voice, are shared internally within the club.
Owners the Glazers are still to decide whether to accept a bid from Sir Jim Ratcliffe – who is the favourite – or Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani.
The priorities for Ten Hag this summer are a striker – the dream signing would be Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane – and a dynamic midfielder, a No8, with Mount set to leave Chelsea.
The 24-year-old has just one more year left on his contract at Chelsea, who do not want to allow him to leave for free next summer and so are prepared to sell. Also, because Mount is an academy product, any transfer fee Chelsea receive would be pure profit, which is crucial given their need to balance the books after heavy spending so far and the desire to provide incoming head coach Mauricio Pochettino with transfer funds.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag said last night United had to aim higher and strive to challenge for the title. Speaking at the club’s end-of-season awards, he said: “We have to increase our standards, to do even better. We want to increase our levels and compete for the top two.”