Graham Ruthven: FA Cup final defeat showed why Erik Ten Hag wants Mason Mount at Man Utd

IN another situation, in a match with different context, Erik Ten Hag surely would have been pleased with how Manchester United played in Saturday’s FA Cup final. While Manchester City were deserved winners, United were competitive, certainly for a team without the squad depth of the recently-crowned Premier League champions. They weren’t embarrassed at Wembley.

Yet with City being one of United’s fiercest rivals and two thirds of the way to an historic Treble that would match the achievement of Sir Alex Ferguson’s legendary team in 1999, defeat was painful. Even in his post-match press conference, it was clear Ten Hag was already formulating a plan on how to catch Pep Guardiola’s team.

David de Gea’s erratic distribution and failure to stop Ilkay Gundogan’s winning goal made obvious Manchester United’s need for a new first-choice goalkeeper. Meanwhile Wout Weghorst’s inability to affect the match off the bench underlined why the Old Trafford outfit are widely expected to sign a new number nine this summer.

Top corner = found ✅@MasonMount x @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/GwlxnsMxA1

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 10, 2023

United’s performance also made clear why Ten Hag is reportedly so keen to add Mason Mount to his squad with the England midfielder keen to force his way out of Chelsea this summer. Not every Manchester United fan is happy that Mount is being pursued, but he would be an upgrade on Christian Eriksen.

Eriksen has been one of United’s biggest success stories this season, but the Dane is limited as a midfield presser. Against Manchester City, this was exposed with Kevin de Bruyne, Rodri and John Stones allowed to play around United in the centre of the pitch. Eriksen couldn’t get close enough often enough to the opposition to make an impression on the match.

Mount is younger than Eriksen and is a more proactive force out of possession. The 24-year-old’s career might have stalled at Chelsea, but there’s a reason Ten Hag wants him at Old Trafford. The signing of Mount would push Manchester United closer to the identity Ten Hag originally had in mind when he took over 12 months ago.

This summer could see a partial rebuild of Manchester United’s midfield unit. Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes can be sure of their place in the team for next season having impressed over the course of the 2022/23 campaign, but Fred and Scott McTominay could be sold to make room for better, more suitable replacements. Mount would tick a lot of boxes both as a midfield presser and a central creator.

Mason Mount, keen on joining Manchester United as talks are taking place behind the scenes. No issues on personal terms but deal not advanced yet as there's big gap between clubs 🚨🔴 #MUFC

Chelsea keep asking for at least €80m fee for Mount. Deal not imminent, at this stage. pic.twitter.com/5IBIWplTAx

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 1, 2023

Chelsea could price United out of a might for Mount who they reportedly value at £70m. This would be a hefty fee for a player currently on the periphery of the squad at Stamford Bridge who is also entering the final year of his contract and so Ten Hag could be force to explore alternatives at a lower price point.

Even if Manchester United miss out on Mount, though, the fact they have identified the 24-year-old as a target says a lot about how committed they are to realising Ten Hag’s vision. In the past, United targeted the biggest names for crowd-pleasing transfers regardless of how they would actually fit into the team. Now, they are implementing a coherent strategy led by their manager.

Ten Hag’s rebuild of Manchester United was always likely to be a multi-phase process. This season, the Dutchman put in place the foundations that should sustain his team for years to come, but he still lacks the personnel to truly play his own game. Eriksen improved United, yet the Dane can still be upgraded on. Mount would be that upgrade.