They are two different players and two different clubs, yet the parallels between Manchester City's capture of Mateo Kovacic and Manchester United's pursuit of Mason Mount are there. The former has departed Chelsea, and Mount could yet follow in the Croat's footsteps if a move to the red half of Manchester materialises.
Mount to United seemed a matter of time earlier this month, but last week the deal was plunged into doubt - with Chelsea rejecting the Old Trafford club's third bid. The Blues are said to want £65million for Mount, who has one year left on his Stamford Bridge contract and is valued at £55m by United.
The transfer is not entirely dead in the water, with latest reports suggesting that the two Premier League giants will hold face-to-face talks this week - with a view to Chelsea making their final decision. Mount has not signed fresh terms with the London club and would boost Erik ten Hag's midfield with energy and experience.
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He is a player who divides opinion, but Mount's individual traits could well complement the dominant Casemiro and creative Bruno Fernandes perfectly - in a three-man United midfield. The England international is strong against the ball - relentless in his work and aggressive in the duel. And in the season before last, he scored 11 goals and assisted ten in the Premier League.
United have made and will make more glamorous signings as a football club. But, as Ten Hag looks to progress this team on the pitch and close the gap to the top two, Mount has the potential to impact the side positively and prove a savvy summer pick-up. Thomas Tuchel's quote in December 2021 sums up the appeal: "It is very hard to drop him, because even if he has a not-so-good game, you'll get full energy, positivity and a wonderful approach."
On the other side of the city, Pep Guardiola has just brought in Kovacic to fill the void left behind by Ilkay Gundogan. The German was hardly lauded as a billboard signing back in 2016, but he went on to produce massive moments and enjoy incredible success. The signing of Kovacic sure has a similar vibe, despite being slightly older. Guardiola, though, has proven over time to be the ultimate judge of picking players to slot into his system seamlessly and replace departing stars.
Kovacic is an international footballer with exceptional pedigree. You can picture him carrying out Guardiola's instructions to a tee and resembling a player who has been at City for years. On the signing, City's Director of Football Txiki Begiristain said: “Mateo is an excellent footballer. He can play as a 6 or an 8, has plenty of experience at top level clubs and he understands the Premier League. It was a very simple decision to bring him to City, because he has the tactical and technical qualities we are looking for in a midfielder."
City got their business done swiftly and backed their manager once again to land a target. Just like Guardiola, Ten Hag knows who he wants in his engine room next season. And while negotiating a deal for Mount is evidently tougher than Kovacic, it is one United should be keen to get done and dusted. For Ten Hag to become the man to bring the good times back to Old Trafford, he needs to be given the tools to do it.
