Manchester United have pulled off one of the biggest transfers of the summer by signing Mason Mount from Chelsea for £55m, plus £5m in add-ons. The England midfielder has signed a five-year contract with the option of a further year, becoming Erik ten Hag's first signing of the window.
Mount, 24, will wear the iconic number 7 shirt at United, following in the footsteps of legends such as George Best, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. He will also reunite with his former Chelsea team-mate Jadon Sancho, who joined United last summer for £73m.
Mount is widely regarded as one of the best young players in Europe, having won the Champions League, the Fifa Club World Cup and the Uefa Super Cup with Chelsea. He was also Chelsea's Player of the Year for both the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons, and played a key role in England's run to the Euro 2021 final.
Mount said he was delighted to join United and was looking forward to working with Ten Hag and his new team-mates. He said: "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. Having competed against them, I know just how strong a squad it is that I'm joining, and I can't wait to be part of this group's drive to win major trophies."
Ten Hag said he was thrilled to have secured Mount's signature, and praised his intelligence, technical quality and tactical awareness. He said: "Mason is an extremely intelligent footballer and has so many fantastic technical qualities that will significantly add to our squad. We have admired his talents for a long time, so we are delighted that he has chosen to take the next steps in his career here at Old Trafford."
Mount is expected to make his debut for United in their pre-season friendly against Barcelona on July 15th at Camp Nou. He will then join his new team-mates for their tour of Asia, where they will face Shanghai Shenhua, Yokohama F. Marinos and Melbourne Victory.
Mount's arrival at United has been met with mixed reactions from fans and pundits. Some have hailed him as a world-class signing who will add creativity and goals to United's midfield, while others have questioned his loyalty to Chelsea and his ability to cope with the pressure of playing for such a big club.
Former United captain Roy Keane said he was impressed by Mount's decision to join United, and backed him to succeed at Old Trafford. He said: "Mason Mount is a top player, no doubt about it. He's shown that at Chelsea and for England. He's got everything you need to be a top midfielder: vision, technique, work-rate, leadership. He's not afraid to take responsibility or make things happen. He's got that winning mentality that you need at a club like United. I think he'll fit in well there."
However, former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba said he was disappointed by Mount's departure from Stamford Bridge, and accused him of betraying the club that gave him his chance. He said: "I don't understand why Mason Mount would leave Chelsea for United. He had everything there: a great manager in Pochettino, a great team that won trophies, a great fan base that loved him. He was one of our own, a homegrown talent that we were proud of. He should have stayed loyal to Chelsea and become a legend there".
Mount will face his former club for the first time on August 19th when United host Chelsea at Old Trafford in their second Premier League game of the season. It will be a highly anticipated clash between two title contenders who have both spent big this summer.