Mason Mount has opened up on his decision to join Man United this summer
The England international believes it was made clear he had no future at Chelsea
Mason Mount has revealed it was made clear to him several months ago that he did not have a future at Chelsea.
The England international completed a £55m plus add-ons move to Manchester United on Wednesday, putting pen to paper on a five-year deal.
The 24-year-old had been an integral cog at Stamford Bridge over the past few seasons, but struggled for consistency last term during what was a forgettable campaign for the Blues.
And in his first interview since completing his move to Old Trafford, Mount revealed he was left under no illusions that his future lay away from west London.
‘Several months ago, it became clear I wasn’t in Chelsea’s plans going forward and once I knew United were involved my decision was made up,’ he told MUTV.
The England star completed his £55m-plus-add-ons move from Chelsea on Wednesday
‘Massive club, huge iconic players that have played here and I wanted to be part of that from the beginning. Getting here early ready for pre-season to start was a main objective of mine as well.’
Mount was shown round United’s training facilities for the first time on Tuesday, introducing himself to everyone on campus, from the receptionists to the kitchen staff.
The midfielder admits he was blown away by the close-knit feeling created by all those at the club – a trait that resonates with him after revealing that he had been on a trip to Disneyland with his niece before heading back to get the deal done.
Mount only met his sister’s daughter Poppy for the first time during the Qatar World Cup due to Covid restrictions and his football schedule, and had been making up for lost time with the three-year-old during the holiday to Paris.
‘It’s a huge club but it’s also so close with everyone involved. It’s such a family and I can feel that straight away,’ he added.
‘I had a little trip to Disneyland, I enjoyed it but it was for more for her sake. We came back a bit early to make our way up here and drive up here, see what the trip is like but it was well worth it and it is great to be here now.’
Mount will take the iconic No 7 at United, following in the footsteps of some of the games’ biggest names.
And the midfielder was not shy in revealing a number of his predecessors in his list of idols growing up.
Mount put pen to paper on a five-year deal at United and is set to earn £250,000-a-week.
He revealed he cut short a holiday with niece Poppy (pictured with Mount in Qatar) before completing the move
‘So many iconic players have played for this club and watching them as a youngster and also being a fan of them, it is very special to be here. This is what I’ve worked a long, long time for and it is so exciting,’ he said.
‘I had a lot of idols. Ronaldo, you see the little video of me when I was younger. I loved watching him play. Becks [David Beckham] was also a massive inspiration of mine, I was in awe of his free-kick technique. You take bits of inspiration from different players.’
United, along with Mount, will now be gearing up for a gruelling pre-season schedule as they look to make further progress under Erik ten Hag having secured a Champions League place and League Cup trophy during his first season.