Mason Mount has refused multiple contract offers from Chelsea – Reuters/Paul Childs
Manchester United will hold talks with Chelsea this week over their bid to sign Mason Mount.
Chelsea last week rejected a third £50 million, plus £5m in add-ons, bid for Mount from United and suggested a face-to-face meeting over the situation as they countered the offer with a demand for £65m.
United remain adamant they will not go near Chelsea’s £65 million valuation, made up of £57 million, plus £8 million in add-ons, for a player with one year remaining on his contract.
But the Old Trafford club are thought to be willing to negotiate around the structure and finer points of their £55 million bid and will hold talks with Chelsea over the matter this week.
It is unclear whether those talks will be face-to-face or via a video call, but United are prepared to discuss their stance with Chelsea and try to find common ground, rather than keep bidding for Mount.
Chelsea players, including Mount, are due to start returning to pre-season training next week, when head coach Mauricio Pochettino will start work. There is acknowledgement from all parties that it would be better to resolve the situation before Mount has to report for training, rather than allowing him to go back to training while the haggling continues.
United still hope that they might be able to negotiate an agreement in time for Mount not to have to return for pre-season training at all at Chelsea, even though the midfielder will report for work at Cobham if no agreement is found.
Pochettino has so far stayed out of the situation and is only likely to intervene if Mount returns for pre-season training, at which point he would ask if the England midfielder remains motivated to play for Chelsea with his future unclear.
Mount has given Chelsea no indication that he will sign a new contract, but has not requested to leave the club and is thought to be prepared to follow the wishes of Pochettino if need be.
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