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Louis Saha criticises Mason Mount form, urges Manchester United to buy Kaoru Mitoma

Saha criticises Mount form, urges Man United to buy Mitoma
© Reuters
Ex-Manchester United forward Louis Saha criticises Mason Mount's form for the Red Devils and urges Erik ten Hag's side to move for Brighton & Hove Albion's Kaoru Mitoma.

Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has criticised Mason Mount's form for the Red Devils this season and has urged Erik ten Hag's side to make a move for Brighton & Hove Albion's Kaoru Mitoma.

Mount arrived at Old Trafford from Chelsea over the summer in a £55m deal, but the England international has thus far found it difficult to make his mark for the club.

The 24-year-old has only managed one assist in six appearances for his new club, while he has struggled to impress in his four outings in the Premier League.

Saha has said that he has 'not seen enough' from Mount in the early stages of his time at Old Trafford, with the playmaker also costing "too much" in the eyes of the ex-Man United forward.

"Man Utd are relying on one or two players to create, and I haven't seen enough of Mason Mount yet. His creativity is nowhere to be seen. I didn't see any positive runs from him against Brentford. His timing is off, too, and he can't make chances by playing like this," Saha told King Casino Bonus.

Manchester United midfielder Mason Mount on July 19, 2023© Reuters

"I hope that the players find their groove, and once they do, they'll be hard to play against. They have the energy, and when players like Bruno Fernandes start making those passes, I'll be more confident in Manchester United.

"I think Mason Mount can be a lot better, but I'd say the fee was too much. I think Chelsea were playing a game with the fee, even if the market is very competitive and a lot of players have moved for similar fees.

"People will always have an opinion on transfer fees, and there'll be people who think even [Erling] Haaland and [Kylian] Mbappe cost too much.

"It's just the nature of football. I'd say, based on what we've seen, Mason Mount isn't performing and I've seen Casemiro play more offensively than Mount. That's a crazy thing to say, but it's true."

Saha has also urged Man United to move for Mitoma, with the Japan international's future currently the subject of much speculation, and there have been claims that the Red Devils could make a move for him in January.

 Brighton & Hove Albion's Kaoru Mitoma during the warm up before the match on September 16, 2023© Reuters

"I would like to see Mitoma arrive at Old Trafford. He's a very exciting player and he never seems to have any doubt of the ball. He'll bombard defences with offensive moves all the time, and I love his energy and the way he plays with a smile," the Frenchman added.

"Mitoma is great to watch, and his attitude would be perfect for any club. Some players think too much, but Mitoma relies on instinct. You can tell he's worked very hard on the training ground to achieve this, and now he's got to a point where he looks like a natural.

"Managers know exactly what they're going to get from Mitoma, and he'd be a strong asset to any club. He'd be very exciting at Manchester United as they tend to have wide players who overthink.

"They play as if every defender is quicker than them, and that's why they don't often dribble or cross as much as they should. They're too worried that they won't get past defenders. They need to be more direct, and the only United forward who possesses that directness is Rasmus Hojlund. The other players are thinking too much."

Mitoma, who has also been linked with Manchester City and Barcelona, has scored 13 goals and registered 12 assists in 52 appearances for Brighton in all competitions.

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Brighton & Hove Albion's Kaoru Mitoma celebrates scoring their first goal on August 19, 2023
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