da prosport bet： Chelsea were looking to sell Mason Mount for financial reasons as early as December 2022, six months before his big-money move to Manchester United.

da dobrowin： Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Chelsea encouraged offers to raise cashRumours suggested Mount had wanted out

Liverpool, Arsenal tried to sign him

WHAT HAPPENED?

Mount was sold by Chelsea to raise much-needed cash rather than because of the player's demands, according to . The club had supposedly been looking to move their academy graduate on from December 2022 and it's claimed Mount came close to signing for both Liverpool and Arsenal before joining United last summer in a £60 million ($76m) transfer, with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta even believing a move to the Emirates was a 'done deal' at one stage.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

That nature of transfer could be repeated this summer, with Conor Gallagher and captain Reece James being linked with a move away from Chelsea as Todd Boehly and Co desperately look to meet Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). Academy graduates represent pure profit, making them very sellable assets.

DID YOU KNOW?

It was reported in the summer that Mount had been locked in protracted contract talks with Chelsea in 2022, but the club felt he didn't deserve to be paid as much as fellow Cobham graduate James. He was apparently offered a £200,000-per-week ($254,000) deal in February 2023 that would have only extended his stay by 12 months, leading a frustrated Mount to look at other options.

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MOUNT, UNITED AND CHELSEA?

As fate would have it, Mount makes his first return to Stamford Bridge on Thursday night as Chelsea host United in the Premier League. The 25-year-old has had his season ravaged by injury, but scored his first goal for the Red Devils against Brentford last time out and will be hoping to start against his former club.