The England international's Old Trafford career has yet to take off, and it remains to be seen if he's mentally strong enough to silence his critics
Mason Mount and Manchester United felt like an awkward match right from the very beginning. The decision to invest £60 million ($75m) in a once-beloved Chelsea academy graduate coming off statistically his worst-ever season for the Blues raised more than a few eyebrows. It wasn't clear how he would slot into Erik ten Hag's line up either, and the Dutchman's vague attempt to explain his vision for the midfielder did little to ease concerns.
"When you're playing in midfield, you have to attack, but you also you have to defend," the United boss said after Mount's unveiling. "I'm sure he will bring dynamism into our game and that was one of our analysis conclusions we made after last season. We need [to be] more dynamic in the midfield department."
Suffice it to say, Mount did not have that desired impact. In fact, United's midfield became a laughing stock. The combination of a half-hearted high press and deep defensive line left a gaping hole in the middle of the pitch, which opposing teams were able to exploit with ease.
The Red Devils plummeted to eighth in the Premier League – their worst-ever finish – and not even the joy of an unlikely run to FA Cup glory could paper over the cracks. Mount was made one of the scapegoats, because United really should have spent that £60m on a top-class holding midfielder instead.
But he was not directly to blame for the unmitigated disaster that was United's 2023-24 campaign, as rotten luck led to Mount being reduced to little more than a spectator. Now, with preparations for the new season well underway, the 25-year-old is back in top physical condition, and he will get another chance. It will just be a question of whether Mount can prove he does fit into a team that still doesn't seem to require his services.
(C)GettyImagesPoor first impression
Mount made United's starting XI for their Premier League opener at home to Wolves last August, in a 4-1-4-1 system that just did not work. Ten Hag's men limped to a 1-0 victory, but could easily have lost had Wolves been more clinical, and Mount was completely ineffective before being substituted in the 68th minute.
United then slipped to a 2-0 loss away at Tottenham in their second game, with Mount once again unable to impose himself. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and the England international had certainly blown his.
To make matters worse, Mount picked up an unspecified injury against Spurs that saw him miss the Red Devils' next five fixtures in all competitions. He returned in time for a third-round Carabao Cup tie against Crystal Palace on September 24, and notched his first assist as United ran out comfortable 3-0 winners, but the Eagles would get their revenge at Old Trafford just four days later.
Mount was little more than a passenger during a dismal 1-0 defeat that confirmed United's worst start to a Premier League season in 34 years. Ten Hag did, however, see his team bounce back with a smash-and-grab victory against Brentford the following week, in spite of Mount's alarming lack of quality on the ball, which led to calls for him to be dropped.
"His creativity is nowhere to be seen," former United striker Louis Saha said to . "I didn’t see any positive runs from him against Brentford. His timing is off, too, and he can’t make chances by playing like this. I think Mount can be a lot better, but I’d say the fee was too much. I think Chelsea were playing a game with the fee."
AdvertisementGettyUnable to build bond with fans
Ten Hag recognised that Mount was failing to perform at the required level, and demoted him to the bench for United's subsequent Premier League matches against Sheffield United, Manchester City and Luton Town, though Mount saw 50 minutes of action in the 1-0 win over the Hatters on December 11, after coming on for the injured Christian Eriksen, producing an industrious performance that hinted he might just turn a corner.
But then disaster struck. Mount was initially ruled out for a month with a calf problem, but would not play again for United until March. The Red Devils enjoyed a brief upturn in form while Mount was on the sidelines, and his struggles to build up a bond with the fans were made worse when it was reported that he had not moved to Old Trafford 'for football reasons'.
His eventual return to full fitness felt inconsequential as a result; he hadn't been missed and no one outside the club seemed to care about his situation. Still, Mount was eased back into the fold with a 15-minute cameo in United's thrilling 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool, before being introduced as an 80th-minute substitute against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Deep into stoppage-time, Mount almost got his breakthrough moment. The former Chelsea man scored his first Premier League goal since December 2022, finishing calmly after being played in by Casemiro, and the away support went wild – thinking he'd sealed all three points for the Red Devils. Unfortunately, Kristoffer Ajer netted a deserved equaliser for Brentford moments later, denying Mount his hero status.
He would go on to start just one game across April and May – which just so happened to be the most humiliating of all United's 14 league defeats, a 4-0 hammering at Crystal Palace – as he was once again hampered by injuries. He finished the campaign with just two goal contributions to his name from 20 appearances across all competitions.
Getty Images'Multifunctional'
Mount's first 12 months at United were a massive disappointment, albeit not all that surprising. Chelsea would never have sold him to a direct rival if they didn't believe he'd already reached his ceiling, and regular injuries were also a theme of his final year at Stamford Bridge.
But the Red Devils' failure to do their proper due diligence is not Mount's fault. He's still under contract at Old Trafford until 2028, and is one of the few players in Ten Hag's squad who is not at risk of being sold this summer.
It has been reported that Mount is still being treated like a new signing, with Ten Hag in no doubt he can make a vital contribution going forward. "You can't judge his season, because he was injured. Don't judge him. But when he is fit he will be a very good player for us and we can use him, versatile," the United manager said last week. "You need certain types in the squad, team players, multifunctional players. Definitely, he is one of the players who can play in several positions, he will help the team."
At his peak, Mount was undoubtedly one of Chelsea's best players. He was vital to their Champions League success in 2020-21, and racked up 29 goal involvements the following season, which led John Terry to suggest he could be a future captain for club and country.
No one could have predicted how far Mount would fall in the space of two short years. But Ten Hag is ultimately spot on with his assessment; it is too early to judge him and he is versatile enough to be an asset for United in the upcoming campaign – provided his fitness troubles do not persist.
Getty ImagesPositive signs
If United's first three pre-season games are anything to go by, Mount has that fire in his belly again. His high-energy display was the only real positive to come out of a 1-0 loss to Rosenborg, and he linked up well with Amad Diallo during the Red Devils' 2-0 win over Rangers.
Mount was rewarded with a seat on the plane for United's tour of the United States, which they opened with a 2-1 loss to Arsenal in a glamour friendly at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. It's always difficult to draw meaningful conclusions from friendlies, but it was more than just another fitness exercise for Mount as he carried United's attacking threat with his relentless pressing off the ball and ingenuity on it.
He created two chances, posted an impressive 88 percent pass completion rate and won five of his seven ground duels, helping United go toe-to-toe with the Gunners before Ten Hag rung the changes at the break. Many fans and pundits feel Mount is at his best in the No.10 position, and it was easy to see why on Saturday, as he looked far more comfortable in the centre and gave United a real sense of urgency in the transition.
It was a tantalising glimpse of the Mount who became one of England's most promising young talents. Mikel Arteta may also have been left wondering what might have been, given Mount was reportedly one of Arsenal's top targets before United swooped in to steal his signature.
There has never really been any question marks over Mount's ability, though. The main issue Mount is facing at United is that he is in direct competition for minutes with the man who has carried the entire squad on his back for the last four years.