Manchester United seem to have reignited their pursuit of Mason Mount this summer, and showdown talks are said to be just around the corner. The 24-year-old midfielder has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford lately, with his contract at Chelsea set to expire in 12 months.
The Blues were once close to reaching an agreement with Mount over a new deal but, following his return from the World Cup in December, an offer was no longer on the table, football.london understands. In the new year, the Blues reopened talks with the England international, however he didn't want to sign a one-year extension.
It's believed that Mount hasn't received an improved offer since, meaning that he'll become a free agent at the end of next season. football.london understands that Liverpool, Arsenal and United are all seriously interested in the Cobham graduate, but only the latter has reportedly submitted a bid.
The Red Devils are said to have had three bids rejected by the west Londoners, with their final proposal being £55million, including £5million worth of add-ons. According to widespread reports from the likes of The Athletic, Fabrizio Romano and The Telegraph, United walked away from negotiations after Chelsea responded with a counteroffer of £58million, plus £7million in add-ons.
So, with the Blues unwilling to lose Mount for free, they reported offered to meet directly with United officials. After a few days of radio silence, the Express have revealed that the Red Devils have now accepted Chelsea's invitation to speak face-to-face and find a resolution to the midfielder's future.
While Mount may have a contract at Stamford Bridge, United hold significant leverage ahead of the meeting. The west Londoners have been looking to offload players before June 30 in order to help comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.
With Kai Havertz off to Arsenal and Mateo Kovacic now at Manchester City, as well as a few others jetting off to Saudi Arabia, Chelsea may not be in as much of a rush anymore. Nonetheless, Todd Boehly will not want to see a saleable asset leave for free in a year's time.
READ MORE: Chelsea news and transfers LIVE: 'Done deal', Mason Mount agreement, Christian Pulisic exit
In an interview with Football Insider, Mount has been encouraged to snub United and seek a move to Bayern Munich instead. Alan Hutton said: "Bayern Munich are a huge draw, in my opinion.
They are an iconic football team, why would you not want to be part of that move forward? You know that you’re going to compete, you’re going to win trophies in Germany.
"I think deep down he would probably want to go to Manchester United if I’m honest, but it looks like they’re starting to get annoyed with negotiations a little bit."
