Mason Mount says it “became clear” that he was not going to be included in Chelsea’s long-term plans.
On Wednesday, the 24-year-old’s 18-year relationship with the Blues came to an end as his eventual £60 million transfer to Manchester United became official.
Chelsea and Mount engaged in protracted contract negotiations for a new contract, but eventually the parties were unable to come to an agreement on terms to prolong his tenure at Stamford Bridge. Instead, a transfer to Manchester United appeared on the horizon, and in the fourth attempt, a deal was finally reached between the Premier League heavyweights.
Although Mount has received a lot of criticism on social media for leaving Chelsea, his first interview with his new team indicated that he thought his time in west London had come to an end.
“Several months ago, it became clear that I wasn’t in Chelsea’s plans moving forward,” Mount told United’s official website. “Once I knew that United were involved, my decision was made up. A massive club, huge iconic players have played here, and I wanted to be a part of that from the beginning. Getting in early and ready for pre-season to start was a main objective of mine as well.Tap on a clip to paste it in the text box.
“The most important thing for me was getting there, being ready on day one and being able to obviously meet all the players, the manager, and get working.”
Mount enjoyed a swift rise to prominence after successful loan spells at Vitesse Arnhem and Derby County. He signed a new five-year contract at Chelsea in July 2019 and quickly became a first-team regular under Frank Lampard, who had overseen his loan spell at Pride Park.
He also became a regular starter for Gareth Southgate’s England, playing a prominent role in the Three Lions’ run through to the Euro 2020 final.
Four full seasons at Chelsea yielded 195 appearances in all competitions for Mount, with 33 goals scored in that time. But 2022/23 was a real struggle for the Portsmouth-born midfielder, as he contended with various injuries and a noticeable loss of form.
