Mason Mount was unveiled as a new Manchester United player today, ending his 18-year association with Chelsea for a fellow Premier League rival.
The 24-year-old had been long linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge after rejecting numerous contract offers from the board, having had just one year remaining on his deal this summer.
Chelsea were, obviously, reluctant to see him leave as a free agent in 2024 and so knew their options were limited – tie him down to an extension or sell him now.
Several teams entered the mix in pursuit of the midfielder’s signature, including the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool, but Mount seemingly had his heart set on the 20-time English champions.
United saw two bids swiftly rebutted by the Blues but were adamant about granting Erik ten Hag’s wishes. Eventually, the two sides met in the middle on a £55 million fee with £5m in add-ons that could be achieved later down the line. Until then though, see what you can achieve with Virgin Games.
With his medical wrapped up and the contract already signed, the England international finally signalled his impending exit to the Chelsea faithful via a video message on social media. He expressed his gratitude to the club, academy, staff, managers, teammates and supporters.
Comments quickly flooded in in the masses from players and fans alike, particularly from his former Chelsea teammates. Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva, Reece James, Armando Broja, Billy Gilmour (now at Brighton and Hove Albion), Tammy Abraham (now at AS Roma), Marc Cucurella and Kai Havertz (now at Arsenal) all reacted to Mount’s departure on Instagram.
James also dedicated a post to the transfer, as he has come through the academy with Mount and played with him at youth, senior and international level. He said: “Ma brother man. Where do I start. I’ve known you since 6 years old, we grew together and took similar paths in breaking into the first team. Something that seemed virtually impossible. I’m proud to say I done it alongside you. I’ve seen you as a little boy and watched you grow into the man and player you are today, you’ve done yourself and your family proud. We’ve had some of the best days of our career together that’ll stick with me forever. It’s sad to say goodbye. I wish you nothing but happiness, good health and the best of luck on your new adventure! You’ll always be blue at heart!”
As for Mount’s new teammates, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes were quick to voice their welcomes.
Fernandes shared a comical picture of the pair arguing during a league match as pictured below:
While Maguire shared a snap of him and Mount on international duty representing the Three Lions.
