Aston Villa plot shock swoop for “relentless” United star as Unai Emery looks to work his magic again – report

Aston Villa are looking to strike lucky for the third time as the Midlands side look to sign another one of Manchester United’s out-of-favour English stars, according to a new report.

The Forgotten Man

Mason Mount has endured a difficult spell at Old Trafford since joining from Chelsea for £55 million in 2023. The 27-year-old midfielder has suffered a series of injuries which have limited him to just 66 appearances across three years in Manchester, returning a paltry seven goals and two assists.

There was hope of a return to his best after the appointment of Ruben Amorim, given Mount has previously thrived in the exact 3-4-2-1 system the Portuguese coach used while at Stamford Bridge. However, the departure of Amorim in January – replaced by Michael Carrick as caretaker with a switch to a 4-2-3-1 – has left the Cobham graduate as the odd man out in the United squad now.

Mount has played just one minute under the 44-year-old coach so far, coming off the bench for a cameo in the 2-0 win over Manchester City. He has become something of an afterthought in this period.

And the signs are ominous for his long-term future given the system Carrick utilises is expected to remain in place, regardless of who is in charge at the start of next season.

This puts Mount in direct competition with Bruno Fernandes for the No.10 role, the club captain and talisman who is virtually never unavailable, or an awkward fit as an out-and-out winger on either flank.

When combined with the Englishman’s exorbitant wage packet, worth in excess of £250,000 a week with a return to Champions League football next season, it is clear why a report relayed by GIVEMESPORT reveals United are “open to allowing him to head through the exit door.”

Villa eye a move

If Mount does become available this summer, Aston Villa are understood to be one of a number of clubs expressing interest in a deal. The Villans are described as “long-term admirers” of the versatile midfielder, with Unai Emery having made a habit out of signing United misfits in the past 18 months.

Both Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho have gone on loan to Villa Park after being frozen out at Old Trafford to enable Emery to work his magic on underperforming attacking players.

“Emery is the type of manager who likes to get his hands on players who are perhaps not at their best. We’ve seen Villa bring in the likes of Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford on loan in recent years, while Douglas Luiz also arrived in January. The Villa boss knows how to get the best out of players, and he’s proved that on multiple occasions during his career,” GIVEMESPORT explains.

Fulham are also credited with an interest in Mount, though a switch to Chelsea’s local rivals, who are unlikely to be in Europe, is not an option which will appeal to the 27-year-old.

Final Thoughts

If Mount could stay fit and was content playing a more squad-based role, he would be an outstanding option for United next season with the schedule of games set to dramatically increase. However, injuries and an expensive salary make him an unsuitable candidate to be primarily used from the bench, despite his versatility and tactical intelligence allowing him to play a number of different positions.

Should the opportunity arise to send another expensive mistake to Villa Park, United should not hesitate.

Featured image Michael Steele via Getty Images

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