Report: Manchester United offer for Mount well short of Chelsea’s asking price

The news of Manchester United’s transfer window so far has been the pursuit of Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount. The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported near the end of the season that Old Trafford is Mount’s preferred destination this summer, but recent reports suggest Chelsea are holding out for a massive transfer fee.

While multiple reports on Monday suggest United are close to submitting a formal offer to Chelsea, the Blues’ valuation is still well above what United are willing to pay.

The club’s interest in Mount has persisted, and the club are considering submitting an offer sooner rather than later. However, Chelsea have reportedly set their demands high in the range of £70-80m for the services of their academy graduate. This number is well above United’s reported valuation, and with Mount on a contract that expires in 2024 the Reds may consider holding firm and addressing other needs if Chelsea do not accept a more reasonable fee.

Mount fell out of favor at Chelsea as the club experienced one of it’s worst seasons in quite a while. The Blues fell all the way to fourth in the league table, going through Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, and Super Frank Lampard as new ownership spent erratically on a bloated and expensive squad.

Now Chelsea need to sell to balance the books, and Mount is a likely candidate to help remedy that situation. The asking price right now is high, but United should test their commitment to that price. As July approaches, so does Chelsea’s deadline for turning a profit on player sales and scaling down the size of a squad so massive that some first teamers won’t even be eligible for registration come August.