Secret INEOS meeting proves Roy Keane's advice on one Manchester United player has been ignored

With Manchester United in the market for a defensive midfielder and the two other spots in their midfield nailed down by Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes, it's difficult to envisage Mason Mount being part of their strongest XI next season.

That might not have been the case had Thomas Tuchel been the man occupying the United dugout.

With a CV boasting three league titles and an unlikely Champions League triumph, Tuchel reportedly opted to highlight his work with Mount during their time together at Stamford Bridge when pitching for the United job.

Clearly Tuchel got the impression that INEOS see Mount as a key player for United next term. Despite making just 14 Premier League appearances in a debut season at Old Trafford that was plagued by injury, there is no chance of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team giving up on the £55m signing after just one year.

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Mention of Mount as a factor in the mitigation for United's dismal 2023/24 campaign felt telling, and United chiefs evidently believe the midfielder can thrive at Old Trafford. One man who is unlikely to be convinced is Roy Keane.

Never one to hide his true feelings, the former United captain questioned Mount's ability to make an impact at Old Trafford prior to his arrival last summer.

"I wouldn't be so sure about Mount," Keane told Sky Sports in May 2023. "They're going to be linked with lots of players but the one that would excite you is [Harry] Kane.

"[Mount] has just gone off the boil a little but I know he bounced back and he's got quality. I was raving about him a few years ago but he's just gone missing the last year - a