Manchester United were forced to rethink their transfer plans after Mason Mount’s latest injury setback, according to a new report.
Another spell on the sidelines
Since arriving at Old Trafford from Chelsea in a £55 million deal, Mount has missed 70 matches. With the new season set to commence against Hull City tomorrow, this figure looks likely to become 71 – with no clear end point in sight.
Mason Mount Stats: 2025/26 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Cards | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 23 | 12 | 3 | - | 2 | - | 1,017' |
| EFL Cup | 1 | 0 | - | 1 | - | - | 26' |
| FA Cup | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 62' |
| Total | 25 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 2 | - | 1,105' |
The 27-year-old had enjoyed a superb start to pre-season, having been trusted by Michael Carrick in a deeper role in midfield alongside new signing Andrey Santos. He was arguably the best United player in the wins over Wrexham, Rosenborg and Atletico Madrid, demonstrating a previously unseen ability to dictate play.
However, delight turned to despair after Mount was forced off the pitch in the first half against Paris Saint-Germain. He was seen walking around unimpeded after the 1-1 draw, with Carrick revealing he “got a knock”, but stressed his withdrawal was a “precaution”.
Yet, two weeks on, the Portsmouth native has not trained, let alone played in any of United’s remaining pre-season matches, calling into question this explanation. And The Athletic now claims scans revealed he actually sustained a hamstring injury, not a foot issue as previously thought.
Though described as “minor”, it is a timely reminder of the No.7’s inability to stay fit, particularly as it is a muscular problem – and this has already had a clear impact on United’s plans in the market.
A pivot back to the middle
Heading into the summer transfer window, INEOS’s intention was to sign three new midfielders to revamp Carrick’s engine room. £85 million was spent making Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans part one and two of this plan, while the hunt for part three hit a wall.
Mount’s outstanding performances in central midfield had led some figures at Old Trafford to suggest he could fulfil this role, however. This would then free up a significant portion of the budget to be directed elsewhere on the pitch, such as a new left-back to provide much-needed competition to Luke Shaw.
It makes sense, therefore, that a pursuit of Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall has ramped up this month, even with the Magpies having been crystal clear the 21-year-old England international is not for sale. With an additional £60-80 million suddenly available, the Red Devils may have fancied their chances of changing this stance – as Arsenal did with Bruno Guimaraes and Tottenham Hotspur with Sandro Tonali.
Nonetheless, the theory quickly fell apart in practice once Mount picked up his latest injury. The Athletic reveals it “prompted another evaluation”, leading to the exploration of targets who could play in both midfield and at left-back – which Hall feasibly could, having been a central midfielder during his time in Chelsea’s academy.
Elsewhere, Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly was considered, as was Eduardo Camavinga of Real Madrid. But it was eventually decided to target the pure No.6 the squad was crying out for, with a move for Brighton & Hove Albion enforcer Carlos Baleba reignited. The fact that the 22-year-old Cameroonian could also fill in in defence is understood to be another attraction.
Final Thoughts
Had Mount managed to stay fit this summer, perhaps Manchester United would currently be locked in talks with their counterparts at St James’ Park over Hall, rather than the Amex Stadium for Baleba. It is an unfortunate truth within the elite level of sport that an athlete can simply become injury-prone, however – and often this does not change, especially as they age.
Featured image Michael Steele via Getty Images
