Erik ten Hag claims Chelsea wanted to keep Mason Mount | OneFootball

After a long spell out injured, Mason Mount could make his first Premier League start in five months against his former club.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag revealed that despite Chelsea’s persistent contract offers to Mount, the midfielder had already decided to make the move to Old Trafford.

Mount, who scored his debut goal for United against Brentford over the weekend after battling injuries throughout the season, is eagerly anticipating his first Premier League start in nearly six months, coincidentally against his former club at Stamford Bridge.

However, there’s a suggestion in the manager’s statement that Mount might find himself on the bench for the upcoming match against his ex-team.

During the summer transfer window, United secured Mount in a £60 million deal, outpacing Liverpool in the race for his signature after he declined a contract extension from Chelsea.

Negotiations with Chelsea were reportedly challenging, leading Mount to believe he wasn’t part of Chelsea’s future plans.

Chelsea’s final offer to Mount was a one-year contract extension with a salary increase, which fell short of his expectations. However, it has been reported there were multiple offers from Chelsea to retain Mount.

Looking ahead to the Chelsea game, ten Hag remarked: “I don’t think they wanted to sell him. They wanted to keep him and offered him a new contract many times. But he wanted to make this step. We are delighted to have him at Manchester United because of his exceptional abilities and potential to become a key player.”

Get Football | Alex Roberts