Midfielder Mason Mount knew he had no future at Chelsea a few months ago and decided to join Man Utd.
"A few months ago, I knew I wasn't in Chelsea's plans. And when I heard Man Utd were coming, I made the decision," Mount told MUTV in his first interview as a Man Utd player. "It's a big club, a lot of iconic players have played here and I want to be part of that. Getting here early and getting ready for pre-season was my main target."
Mount joined Chelsea's youth team in 2005, and was promoted to the first team in 2017. After two seasons on loan at Vitesse and Derby County, the English midfielder gradually established himself as a regular at Chelsea, scoring 27 goals in 129 appearances, winning a Champions League, a European Super Cup and a Club World Cup.
Mount poses for a photo in Man Utd kit. Photo: MUFC
This summer, Mount left Stamford Bridge after 18 years to join Man Utd for a total transfer fee of 76 million USD. He signed a 5-year contract, earning a weekly salary of about 318,000 USD. On July 4, the 24-year-old player officially signed the contract, took a photo at the Carrington training ground, and introduced himself to all members of the club, from the receptionists to the kitchen staff.
Mount admitted he was overwhelmed by the sense of closeness created by everyone at Man Utd. "It's a big club and everyone is very, very close-knit," he said. "It's like a family and I could feel that straight away."
Instead of the number 19 shirt like at Chelsea, Mount was surprisingly given the number 7 shirt at Man Utd, the shirt number associated with many legends such as George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, David Beckham or Cristiano Ronaldo. Mount is expected to make a stronger impression than those who have worn the number 7 shirt at Man Utd in the past, such as Michael Owen, Antonio Valencia, Angel di Maria, Memphis Depay, Alexis Sanchez or Edinson Cavani.
"So many iconic players have played for Man Utd and I have so many idols," Mount said. "You've seen videos of me talking about Ronaldo when I was a kid. I loved watching him play. David Beckham was a big inspiration too and I admired his free-kick technique. I take a little inspiration from different players."
Mount revealed that he cut short his summer break to join his new club early to prepare for the pre-season. According to him, this is a very important stage, as it helps players get into the right form to enter the new season, while emphasizing that he is ready from day one with the desire to win titles and success for the club.
This summer, Man Utd will play friendly matches against Leeds United on July 12, Lyon on July 19, Arsenal on July 22, Wrexham on July 25, Real Madrid on July 26, Dortmund on July 30, Lens on August 5 and Athletic Bilbao on August 6. Of which, the match against Lens is the only friendly match taking place at Old Trafford.
Hong Duy
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