Erik ten Hag told Mason Mount that he'd be a "very important player" at Manchester United after handing him the club's famous number seven shirt. It was a bold statement given the risk that came with spending £60m on a player who had struggled for form in his final season at Chelsea.
Mount has failed to live up to expectations amid constant injury setbacks which have threatened to end his United spell prematurely. He heads into his third season at Old Trafford and it will surely be his last chance to stay fit and play said important role in Ruben Amorim's team.
United only have themselves to blame for swooping for the 26-year-old at that price because he had just a year left on his contract. There were plenty of frowns when news of the Englishman being a top target came to light.
Mount wasn't the only Chelsea midfielder on the Reds' radar when he made the switch in the summer of 2023. The recruitment team were also eyeing his teammate who could have been a gamechanger if not for a potential pursuit being called off.
Man United stupidly opted not to sign N'Golo Kante
Manchester United were reportedly eyeing Mount's former teammate N'golo Kante in the summer Erik ten Hag arrived, per The Mirror. The Dutch coach wanted the French holding midfielder to "kickstart" his rebuild at Old Trafford.
Kante didn't arrive and spent another season at Stamford Bridge before moving to Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League as a free agent in the summer of 2023. While the 2018 World Cup winner would have been around 32, he would have still been a massive signing for the club given his proven Premier League experience.
The former Leicester City man also proved that age is just a number with a stellar showing at Euro 2024, one of the best performers at the tournament. He would have undoubtedly helped the younger generation at Old Trafford and been a massive boost for either Ten Hag or Ruben Amorim.
One of the Reds' major problems is getting overrun in midfield and he still has energy left in the tank. A potential move is obviously no longer conceivable given his age but the club definitely missed a trick not moving for him.
Man United must sign a new midfielder this summer
Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have been United's two signings so far this summer. The two forwards shined in the Premier League last season and are excellent acquistions but ate into the club's budget at around a joint £133m if add-ons are achieved.
A new striker and goalkeeper appear to be on the shortlist for INEOS as they continue to overhaul Amorim's squad. But a new midfielder should be prioritised and this was none more so apparent than in the drab 0-0 pre-season draw with Leeds United.
A solid option for the Reds would be Amadou Onana who has similar playing characteristics to Kante. The Aston Villa midfielder is a terrific tackler who constantly deals with danger and could form a reliable midfield partnership with Bruno Fernandes.
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