Manchester United have made a fresh bid of £50million for Mason Mount but have warned Chelsea they won’t be held to ransom.
United submitted a second bid of £45m plus £5m in add-ons for Mount, with Chelsea immediately rejecting it and demanding £60m plus an additional £5m.
Despite Erik ten Hag wanting the England midfielder, United have made it clear to Chelsea they will not be pressured into bidding more than they feel he is worth. With just a year left on his current contract, United believe their latest offer is reflective of Mount’s current market value and are not prepared to pay over the odds for him.
While personal terms have already been agreed between Mount and United, the final obstacle remains the fee with Chelsea, with the deal in the balance unless a compromise can be reached between the two clubs.
Mount is desperate to move to United and revive his career, which has stalled at Chelsea, while Ten Hag believes the 24-year-old can rediscover his best form under him at United.
While their immediate rivals Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal are already advanced in terms of adding to their squads, United are yet to make a first signing of the summer, with the takeover saga compromising Ten Hag’s ability to get his business done as quickly as he would like.
The United boss is keen to build on last season’s progress, which saw him steer them to a third-place finish and an immediate return to the Champions League. Ten Hag also ended United’s six-year wait for a trophy, by leading them to Carabao Cup success, but knows he needs to strengthen his squad if they are to produce a title challenge next season.
Speaking at the end of last season, the Dutchman said: "The club knows if you want to play top four, compete for trophies in this tough league then you have to invest otherwise you don’t have a chance because other clubs will do.
"We’ve seen it in the winter, all the clubs around us made huge investments, we didn't, but still we made it, so I’m proud of my team."
However, the uncertainty surrounding the ownership of the club means Ten Hag is on the back foot and doesn't know how much he will have to spend. "The only thing I know is that Man United is one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"But you need funds to construct squads because the level from your players decides if you are successful or not. High-level players cost a lot of money."
