Manchester United look set to complete their first transfer of the summer after agreeing a fee with Chelsea for Mason Mount.
The Manchester Evening News understands a fee of £60million has been agreed, consisting of £55million up front and £5million in performance-related add-ons. United had previously seen three bids knocked back by Chelsea, the most recent of which was worth a total of £55million.
Mount is currently away on holiday but will be booked in for a medical next week. Personal terms were initially agreed upon in May and will be finalised when he arrives in Manchester.
Erik ten Hag set his sights firmly on Mount and a successful deal will see the Dutchman land a prime target for one of his three priority positions. But while there are major gaps in the squad for the other two - goalkeeper and striker - midfield is an area already well stocked.
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United will need to offload players this summer in order to raise funds for transfers, given half of Ten Hag's initial £100m-120m budget will head to Stamford Bridge. And Mount's arrival could signal departures in that area.
Fred and Scott McTominay are the two most at risk of being put up for sale, with neither managing to nail down a regular first-team place last season. Both notched up a high number of appearances - 56 and 39 respectively - but were coming off the bench in more than half of those and were often left out of the biggest games.
Brazilian Fred turned 30 in March and will enter the final year of his contract this weekend. United are open to selling the midfielder and MEN Sport reported at the end of May that a move to Fulham has been mooted.
Cottagers manager Marco Silva was spotted speaking with Fred outside Old Trafford after the final day of the season meeting at Old Trafford, and the Portuguese is a known admirer. Reports have suggested he could bring a transfer fee of around £20million.
After the FA Cup final defeat against Manchester City, Fred said he would speak with Ten Hag and his own representatives about the future, but admitted he wanted to be 'important' and did not rule out a move.
McTominay is another whose future could be away from Old Trafford, although United see his departure as less of a priority. The Scotland international is contracted until June 2025, having penned a long-term deal in 2020.
Premier League interest in McTominay has been rife, with Newcastle United often cited as potential suitors. However they look set to sign Sandro Tonali from AC Milan to fill the defensive midfield void, with Eddie Howe now focused on other positions.
West Ham United have also been linked with the 25-year-old, particularly since the sale of Declan Rice has become almost inevitable. Arsenal saw a bid worth £105million accepted earlier this week, with David Moyes already eyeing how to spend that money.
McTominay is one of several options being eyed by the Hammers, but with a contract running for two years and less insistence on selling him, United may decide to keep him at Old Trafford for another year.
The biggest loser in terms of appearances from Mount's arrival will likely be Christian Eriksen. The Danish international arrived as a free agent last summer and instantly bedded in to the squad, featuring 44 times and registering two goals and 10 assists across all competitions.
At 31, it would be a tough ask for Eriksen to endure another 40-plus game campaign, but he will almost certainly remain a vital part of Ten Hag's plans. United progressed into the latter stages of every available competition last season and played 62 matches as a result.
Eriksen will likely be used as a cover option for both Mount and Bruno Fernandes, with the experienced midfielder able to undertake each role with relative ease. At least one midfielder will probably head out the exit door this summer, but who that is depends on the level of interest and fees offered. Both Fred and McTominay have garnered Premier League interest, but United are yet to welcome an approach for either.
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