Mason Mount could be on his way to Manchester United this summer after reportedly agreeing personal terms with the Red Devils.
After turning down a new contract offer from Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Mount, 24, appears destined to quit the club.
Although talks for a new contract are still going on, Chelsea may be obliged to move the England international this summer because he is entering the final year of his present agreement.
Although Mount has also been strongly linked to Liverpool, United is now in the lead for the midfielder, and Liverpool is likely to miss out on him.
Here are four reasons why Mount is likely to choose United over Liverpool when he moves to Old Trafford.
Champions League
Let’s begin by stating the obvious. In contrast to Liverpool, Manchester United will participate in the Champions League in 2019.
With Chelsea, Mount has already won the most prestigious tournament in European football, therefore he is unlikely to want to play in the Europa League next year.
Liverpool will have difficulty persuading players to join them at Anfield throughout the summer. The Reds will find it more harder to negotiate without the Champions League draw.
Wages
Mount has so far declined to sign a new contract with Chelsea because he did not accept the terms that the west London team offered.
If he moved this summer, the midfielder would anticipate becoming one of Liverpool’s or Manchester United’s highest-paid players and demanding a salary comparable to that of his England teammates.
Both teams will be willing to pay him a large salary, but United will probably be able to outspend Liverpool because the Old Trafford club is known for paying its players more.
Reunion with Rice?
The two England internationals would undoubtedly enjoy the opportunity to play together in club football at some point in their professional careers given their well-known relationship and shared love of sport. Mount and Rice were once teammates in the Chelsea academy.
While Arsenal are the clear favourites to buy Rice from West Ham this summer, United is also rumoured to be in the mix and may step up their interest if they are unable in acquiring a high-priced striker, which is their top objective.
If either Mount or Rice joins United, it might persuade the other to relocate to the north this summer.
Factor Cristiano Ronaldo
Mount has already mentioned how, as a young fan at Old Trafford, he “fell in love” with Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I believe that everyone has seen the video of me modelling my free-kick after Ronaldo when I was younger. When he was working at United as a young child, I always kept a careful eye on him. I adored his free-kicks and the way he played, Mount previously said to Amazon Prime.
“I was actually at the game, in the corner, so I saw it first-hand and I think after that I kind of fell in love with the technique and what he’d done, and him as a player.”
The opportunity to follow in Ronaldo’s footsteps and play for United could be too tempting for Mount to turn down.