Erik ten Hag wants to sign Mason Mount as part of Manchester United's summer overhaul

Erik ten Hag is confident he can persuade Mason Mount to join Manchester United as part of a summer overhaul being demanded by the manager.

Mount is wanted by United, Liverpool and Arsenal and is yet to make a final decision over his future although the England international appears certain to leave Chelsea.

Ten Hag made pointed comments following United’s last Premier League game of the season, a 2-1 win at Old Trafford against Fulham, when he said their success this season, primarily earning a place back in the Champions League, had come despite a failure to back him in the winter transfer window.

Ten Hag had wanted United to sign Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven in January only for the Dutch international to join Liverpool for an initial fee of £37 million. United signed Wout Weghorst and, following Christian Eriksen’s injury, Marcel Sabitzer on loan.

“The club knows if you want to play top four, compete for trophies in this tough league then you have to invest, otherwise you don’t have a chance because other clubs will do,” Ten Hag said. “We’ve seen in the winter. All the clubs around us made huge investments, we didn’t, but still we made it.”

The situation is further complicated by the uncertainty about United’s ownership and it is understood that Ten Hag’s frustrations are shared internally within the club. The Glazers are still to decide whether to accept bids for the club from Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is the favourite, or Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The bidding process has gone on for six months and there are fears it will affect United’s transfer plans.

The priorities for Ten Hag this summer are a striker – the dream signing would be Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane – and a dynamic number eight, which is a position Mount could fill.

The 24-year-old has just one more year on his contract at Chelsea who do not want to allow him to leave for free next summer.

Also, because Mount is an academy product any transfer fee Chelsea receive for him will amount to pure profit which is crucial given their need to balance the books after heavy spending so far under the new owners and the desire to provide incoming head coach Mauricio Pochettino with sufficient transfer funds. It remains to be seen how much Chelsea will demand for Mount.

Mount appeared to be saying his goodbyes as he joined in Chelsea’s traditional end-of-season lap of appreciation after Sunday’s 1-1 draw at home to Newcastle United. Mount was not fit to play in the game but came out onto the pitch afterwards.

If Mount signs for United it would be a serious blow for Liverpool, in particular, with Jurgen Klopp having identified him and Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister as key players in his own summer rebuild.

Speaking at United’s end of season awards ceremony on Monday night, Ten Hag said the club had to aim higher and strive to challenge for the title. “We have to do better,” he said. “This season, we still have one game to go and it’s a great opportunity to make the next big step. But then, after summer, we have to increase our standards, to do even better. And you know, the competition is tough, our competitors will also reach higher levels.

“So we have to do at least the same, but I don’t think it’s good enough. You have to do much better. We don’t want to stay here. We want to go higher up, we want to increase our levels and we want to compete for the top two. So we have to demand more and increase our levels.”

In a separate interview with The Times, Ten Hag admitted captain Harry Maguire had a decision to make on his future this summer after falling out of favour. “Let’s say I’m happy he’s here and when we needed him he did his job. But it’s also a decision he has to make,” the manager said.

Ten Hag said goalkeeper David De Gea would be at United next season but was not assured of the No. 1 spot, as reported by Telegraph Sport this month. ““Yes, but I will not say he’ll always be my No 1 because in a club like Man United there must be competition in all positions,” he said. “You can’t do it with 11 players. It is impossible. You need double positions.”