Chelsea have reportedly rejected a £55m bid from Manchester United for midfielder Mason Mount, although the Blues are said to have proposed a counter-offer to their Premier League counterparts.
The 24-year-old last played for the West Londoners in their Champions League quarter-final defeat against Real Madrid on April 18, with a hip injury bringing the player's season to a premature end as his side finished 12th in the league standings.
Mount was also unable to be selected for the recent European qualifiers as England faced off against Malta and North Macedonia this month, allowing Gareth Southgate to be more experimental in his use of Trent Alexander-Arnold in his midfield alongside Declan Rice and Jordan Henderson.
The Red Devils are said to be searching for reinforcements in their engine room ahead of next season, and according to Sky Sports News, their efforts to lure Mount to Old Trafford have hit another stumbling block.
It is understood that Chelsea have rejected a third offer worth £55m for the former Derby County man, however Mauricio Pochettino's side are said to be interested in negotiating with United in order to reach an agreement.
© Reuters
The report claims that the Blues have given the Red Devils a counter-proposal of £58m plus £7m in add-ons, although it is unsure whether Erik ten Hag's men will enter discussions after their third bid was swiftly dismissed.
United are said to be preparing alternative targets should they be unable to secure the services of Mount, with the Old Trafford club keeping an eye on the situation of West Ham United midfielder Rice.
With one year left on his current deal at Stamford Bridge, the Chelsea hierarchy will have to sell Mount this summer or risk losing him on a free transfer next year.
The player is said to be keen on departing West London this summer for pastures new after featuring over 190 times for the club, scoring 33 goals and helping the Blues to a historic Champions League title in 2021.
This campaign has been challenging for the 24-year-old, with Mount starting just 20 Premier League matches, his lowest number of games since breaking into the first-team fold during the 2019-20 term.
Mount is understood to have been put off the idea of spending his entire career at Stamford Bridge by recent contract negotiations, with Chelsea unwilling to increase the midfielder's wages to a point where he would be one of the club's highest earners alongside fellow Englishman Reece James.
Carter White
