Manchester United 'reach key agreement' with Chelsea in Mason Mount pursuit and more transfer rumours

Manchester United have reportedly reached a 'key agreement' with Chelsea to schedule showdown transfer talks for Mason Mount in the coming days.

The Reds have had two bids for the midfielder rejected by the Stamford Bridge outfit, while a third remains on the table. Mount's contract with the London club expires in a year's time and Erik ten Hag has earmarked him to improve his midfield this summer.

The Blues want £65million for Mount, while United feel their third bid of £50million, with a further £5million in add-ons, is a fair price for a player who could leave the club for nothing at the end of next season. That has led to something of an impasse in discussions, with United prepared to move on to other targets such as Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo instead.

And now transfer guru Fabrizio Romano [via Football.London] claims that the clubs have reached an agreement to meet and discuss the potential move. It is claimed that "the two clubs have planned direct contact to thrash out the final details over whether a deal will go ahead or not".

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Elsewhere, Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness] claims United baulked at Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot's 'mega salary' demands. It is understood the midfielder, who is represented by his mother Veronique, requested an £8.6million annual salary - or around £165,000 per week - as well as the same amount up front as a signing-on fee.

But United are said to have rejected those demands with Veronique 'refusing to give any discounts'. Rabiot's salary request reportedly earned an 'immediate no' from United - with the Old Trafford club said to have made it clear they did not see an agreement within