Erik ten Hag signed a player perfect for Ruben Amorim at Manchester United

After joining Manchester United from Chelsea for an initial fee of £55million in July 2023, Mason Mount wasted no time in declaring his best position.

"I've always seen myself as a midfielder or a No.8 that can obviously get forward, attack, try and score goals and create goals," he told MUTV.

"But I am also able to do the other side as well and defend and help the team when we're under pressure."

United signed Mount to add energy to their midfield and become a long-term replacement for Christian Eriksen in the No.8 position. The Dane excelled in his debut season at Old Trafford in 2022/23 but it was clear United needed younger legs in that area of the team.

Operating in a 4-3-3 formation under former manager Erik ten Hag at the time, Mount was expected to join forces with Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes in United's first-choice midfield. Casemiro had enjoyed an outstanding first season at the club after arriving from Real Madrid in August 2022 and was, at the time, one of the very first names on the teamsheet.

However, Mount's first season in M16 was ravaged by injuries, restricting him to just 20 appearances in all competitions. He played just 14 times in the Premier League, making five starts.

As a result, it was impossible to make a firm judgement on if he would be the ideal long-term replacement for Eriksen. It was hoped the 2024/25 campaign would be much kinder to him on the injury front.

However, the fact he only managed to make 26 appearances in the most recent campaign meant that wish failed to become a reality. A serious hamstring issue sidelined him between mid-December and the beginning of April.

Despite his unavailability, he regularly earned praise from United head coach Ruben Amorim, who declared his