Manchester United have reportedly made their first approach to Chelsea over a summer move for Mason Mount.
The England international's next career move has been a hotly-debated topic, as he is yet to extend his Stamford Bridge contract beyond the end of next season.
With Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali prioritising long-term renewals for the Blues' home-grown young players, efforts have been made to agree a new deal with Mount for the past several months.
However, the 24-year-old is supposedly after a wage packet which would make him one of the club's highest-paid players, and Chelsea's owners are not willing to sanction such a salary increase.
As a result, negotiations have hit a roadblock, and Mount is now widely expected to depart his boyhood team, who will not risk losing him on a free transfer in the summer of 2024.
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Liverpool were heavily linked with a move for Mount earlier this year, but Man United appear to have jumped to the front of the queue as the Reds close in on the signing of Brighton & Hove Albion's Alexis Mac Allister.
Mount is said to have already reached an agreement on personal terms with Man United, and according to Sky Sports News, the Red Devils have now made their move.
While Man United have now touched base with Chelsea to discuss a possible transfer, the report adds that the Blues are yet to receive a formal offer from their Premier League rivals.
The report adds that the Red Devils have already made several enquiries over Mount's availability, and they have accelerated their pursuit after learning of his problematic situation in West London.
Given Mount's contract situation, Chelsea are not expected to stand in the midfielder's way of a summer move if a fee can be agreed, but Man United may still be made to stump up £70m to secure his signature.
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In an effort to drive the price down, Man United could apparently offer Harry Maguire to Chelsea in a player-plus-cash deal, but it is unclear if the Blues have any interest in the Red Devils captain.
Mount has spent 18 years at Stamford Bridge since joining the Blues' youth academy, enjoying productive loan spells with Vitesse and Derby County before making his Chelsea breakthrough.
The 24-year-old has amassed 33 goals and 37 assists in 195 matches for Chelsea in all tournaments, winning the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup in the process.
However, a challenging 2022-23 campaign saw Mount score just three goals and provide six assists in 35 games, starting 20 top-flight matches as Chelsea finished 11th in the table.
The Englishman sat out Chelsea's final seven Premier League fixtures after undergoing pelvic surgery, and the Blues' 2-0 Champions League quarter-final second leg loss to Real Madrid on April 18 - where he played 13 minutes as a substitute - could prove to be his final game for the club.
Ben Knapton
