New Manchester United signing Mason Mount says he left Chelsea with it having become clear “several months ago” that he was not in the club’s plans for the future.
The England midfielder completed his move from the Blues to United this week on a deal to 2028, with the option of a further year, for what is understood to be an initial fee of £55million.
Mount told MUTV: “Several months ago I think it became clear that I wasn’t in Chelsea’s plans moving forward and once I knew that United were involved, my decision was made.
“It’s a massive club, huge, iconic players have played here, and I wanted to be a part of that from the beginning. Getting in early, ready for pre-season to start, was a main objective of mine as well.”
The 24-year-old – who had an 18-year association with Chelsea, played 195 times for them, scoring 33 goals, and helped them win the Champions League in 2021 – added: “I’ve always seen myself as a midfielder, a number eight that can obviously get forward and attack, try to score goals, create goals, but also be able to do the other side as well and defend and help the team when we’re under pressure. That’s a massive focus of mine.
“I know what I can bring to this team and now it’s about going and doing it on the pitch.”
Mount, set to wear the number seven shirt in Erik ten Hag’s United team, cut short a family holiday in Disneyland to finalise the deal.
He said: “We had a little trip to Disneyland, for the niece mainly – I enjoyed it as well, of course!
“We came back a bit early just to make our way up here, drive up here, see what the trip’s like and everything. But it was well worth it, and it’s great to be up here now.
“It’s been an amazing couple of days, coming here, seeing everyone, meeting everyone at the training ground, such a warm welcome. I feel very much at home already.”
Mason Mount has confirmed that he will be leaving Chelsea after 18 years at the club.
The 24-year-old came through the ranks at Stamford Bridge and since making his first-team debut in 2019 has gone on to score 27 goals and provide 22 assists in 129 Premier League appearances.
The PA news agency understands that Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign the midfielder for an initial £55million.
View this post on Instagram
Mount, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021 and has earned 36 caps for England, posted a farewell message to Blues fans on Instagram.
He said on Instagram: “Hi Chelsea fans, given the speculation over the last six months this may not come as a surprise to you, but it doesn’t make it any easier to tell you that I’ve made the decision to leave Chelsea.
“I feel you deserve more than just a written statement, so I wanted to tell you directly how grateful I’ve been for all of your support over the last 18 years.
“I know some of you won’t be happy with my decision, but it’s what’s right for me at this moment in my career.
“I joined Chelsea when I was six years old and we’ve been through a lot together.
“Winning the Youth Cup, my Player of the Year awards, the Super Cup, the Club World Cup and of course that unforgettable night when we won the Champions League.
“I want to say thank you to the academy, Jim and Neil for being so influential to me from such a young age.
“The managers I’ve worked under, Frank (Lampard), Thomas (Tuchel) and Graham (Potter), the backroom staff, the unsung heroes of Cobham, all of my teammates over the years that have become my brothers.
“My family for the continuous love and support and most importantly you guys for sticking with me throughout. Wish you all the best.”
What the papers say
Manchester United are “launching a £55 million swoop” for Chelsea forward Mason Mount, according to the Daily Mail. The 24-year-old is also being sought by Liverpool and Arsenal as he enters the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge with his future under increasing uncertainty.
The Independent reports Aston Villa are leading the race to sign Leicester winger Harvey Barnes, 25, in the summer. The Foxes could also lose attacker James Maddison, 26, after a tough season for the struggling club.
West Ham are looking increasingly like they will keep David Moyes on as manager despite constant chatter all season that he would be moved on, The Guardian says. The 60-year-old may now be given another season after reaching the Europa Conference League final and winning their fight against relegation.
And Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is considering allowing attacker Emile Smith Rowe, 22, to leave in order to make room for Maddison. According to the Daily Mirror, despite Smith Rowe being one of the most popular players among fans, he could be shown the door after failing to start a single game in all competitions this season.
Social media round-upPlayers to watch
Antonio Sanabria: The Mail reports via La Repubblica the Gunners are interested in adding the 26-year-old Torino and Paraguay forward in a deal worth £21.6m.
Victor Osimhen: The Mirror reports via Il Mattino that Manchester United have been told they must pay £140m if they want to sign the 24-year-old Napoli striker.
A woman bombarded Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount with messages in a four-month stalking campaign after he broke off their relationship, a court has heard.
TikToker Orla Melissa Sloan, 21, pleaded guilty to stalking the 24-year-old and his former team-mate Billy Gilmour, 21, as well as harassing fellow Blues star Ben Chilwell, 26, at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
The court heard she slept with Mount, who had surgery on a pelvic injury last month, after they met at a party at his England team-mate Chilwell’s home in November 2020.
Prosecutor Jason Seetal said they stayed in contact for around six months before Mount “decided that the relationship was not going to progress”.
“Upon informing Miss Sloan of this, he has been subjected to a bombardment of messages,” he said.
“He began asking her to stop messaging him before blocking the number.
“He then began to receive messages from new numbers and each time he would block those numbers there would be messages from a different number.”
Mr Seetal said a total of 21 different numbers were used to contact Mount with some messages including collages of photos of the player with other women.
The court heard that in one message from an Instagram account using the name ‘Devil Baby’, she said: “I can morph at any time so let me apologise and set things right.”
Another showed an Apple account buying a new number for £12.99 with the words: “I’m not buying food anymore so I can get more numbers. I will be faster than you.”
Mr Seetal said Mount was “concerned she had an obsession or fixation with him and he didn’t know what she was capable of”.
In a statement, Mount said: “Miss Sloan knows roughly where I live and where I train.
“I’m worried as if she is unable to contact me she might turn up at my training centre.”
The court heard other messages were aimed at professional footballers, friends and family members, including left-back Chilwell.
He told how he found Sloan’s behaviour “erratic”, while Scotland midfielder Gilmour said her messages had a “huge impact” on his life, after he joined Brighton from Chelsea last September.
“I have not been able to sleep and have had to take sleeping tablets,” he said.
“It’s had a negative effect on my performance and professional life.”
“Being in a new town where I don’t have my friends or family, it’s really upsetting.”
The court heard Gilmour had initially exchanged messages with Sloan before telling her he did not want their contact to continue and did not have a relationship with her.
But she claimed to have fallen pregnant in allegations described in court as “completely fictitious”.
“I don’t know who I can trust anymore,” Gilmour said.
“Some of the information would only have been known by people close to me.”
Sloan, from Exeter, pleaded guilty to causing “serious alarm or distress” by stalking Gilmour between September 10 and October 28 last year.
She also admitted stalking Mount between June 19 and October 28 last year, as well as causing harassment to Chilwell between October 20 and October 29, 2022.
District Judge Neeta Minhas adjourned sentencing to June 20 for reports to be prepared, telling her the most serious offence, against Gilmour, crossed the custody threshold.
She was granted unconditional bail.
Chelsea's Mason Mount is "feeling good" after undergoing surgery on a pelvic issue that threatens to sideline him for the remainder of the season.
Mount has endured a frustrating few months, with six of his last seven appearances coming from the bench – including all three of his outings since Frank Lampard returned to Stamford Bridge as caretaker manager.
The England international has made 20 Premier League starts this term but only managed three goals and two assists during a season of upheaval for Chelsea.
On Tuesday, Lampard said Mount could face four weeks on the sidelines after being troubled by a pelvic issue, which required him to undergo minor surgery.
Mount's Chelsea contract expires in 2024, and with fresh terms yet to be agreed, the 24-year-old has been touted as a potential transfer target for Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United.
With Chelsea concluding their Premier League campaign against Newcastle United on May 28, Mount's injury setback has led to suggestions he may have played his final game for the club.
The midfielder, however, hopes to return in the coming weeks, writing on Instagram: "Had a minor procedure yesterday to sort out a discomfort I had for a while.
"Everything went well and I'm feeling good. Time to rest but can't wait to get back to training in the coming weeks!
"Thanks for all your messages of support and a massive thank you to the medical team, doctors and nurses for looking after me."
What the papers say
Liverpool are hoping to sign Manchester City “outcast” Kalvin Phillips in a £35m deal this summer, the Daily Star says. Jurgen Klopp targeted the 27-year-old midfielder after being priced out of a move for Jude Bellingham.
Elsewhere, the Daily Telegraph reports Romelu Lukaku will be asked whether or not he wants to try to revive his Chelsea career under proposed permanent head coach Mauricio Pochettino. The 29-year-old striker has spent the season on loan at Inter Milan after making it clear that he no longer wanted to play for former head coach Thomas Tuchel.
In more Blues news, the Evening Standard says Frank Lampard will make himself available as a sounding board for Pochettino to help ensure a smooth transition. The former Tottenham manager is due to take over at the end of the season.
And according to The Sun, Eddie Howe will have up to £150million to bolster his Newcastle squad this summer. The Magpies are laying plans to prepare their squad for a Champions League campaign next season and are willing to spend between £100-150million.
Social media round-up
Top four = big spending for Howe this summer. And he has targets ? ? https://t.co/vjUB6mcTgt
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) April 26, 2023
Lampard on Mount: “New deal for him? Not my opinion. It will be the opinion of the club and the opinion of Mason, so that's between them”. ?⭐️ #CFC
“There’s no doubt, he’s top-class player. Trust me, it’s not easy to play with top players around and he’s managed to do that”. pic.twitter.com/oczA2DJdny
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 25, 2023
Players to watch
Lionel Messi: 90min says Barcelona are “leaving no stone unturned” in their bid to re-sign the 35-year-old Argentina forward from Paris St-Germain but a deal will not be straightforward.
Andre Onana: Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport reports Chelsea are interested in signing the 27-year-old Cameroon goalkeeper from Inter Milan and could use Kepa Arrizabalaga, 28, as part of the deal.
Frank Lampard urged Chelsea's players to show "personal pride" and finish the season strongly as the club target Mauricio Pochettino to become their new head coach.
Injuries are set to keep Reece James and Mason Mount out of action for the rest of the season, Lampard revealed on Tuesday.
The loss of the England internationals comes as the latest blow in a wretched season for the club that has seen two head coaches, Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, lose their jobs.
Interim boss Lampard could also be replaced before the campaign ends, having overseen four defeats in four games since the club legend was asked to lead the team.
With Pochettino a firm contender to take charge, there may be a new man at the helm in the coming days or weeks.
What seems nigh-on certain is that Lampard will lead Chelsea in Wednesday's home game against fellow west London outfit Brentford.
The Bees are remarkably five points ahead of the wealthy Blues ahead of that fixture, and Lampard wants to see battling spirit from his 11th-placed side.
He broke the dismal news of the fresh injury setbacks at the beginning of Tuesday's pre-match press conference, saying: "Reece James is unavailable probably for the season, Mason Mount the same – potential for the last game of the season but probably not – so that's obviously disappointing for us.
"They're big players. Reece has a hamstring injury and Mason has been carrying this pelvic injury for quite a while. He's been trying typically, and medical staff have been trying, but we've got to the stage now where he will have minor surgery and then a four-week recovery."
Asked about the potential arrival of former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss Pochettino, Lampard said: "I'm not going to get involved in any future manager talk, because it's all speculation."
Lampard is unsure whether his short-term position will soon be affected by the club's efforts to appoint a coach, or whether he will continue to lead the team until the end of the season.
"I wouldn't expect anything in football, but I think it's very clear we've come into this club when it's in big difficulties," Lampard said.
He vowed he and his coaching staff would continue to try to draw the best from the expensively assembled Chelsea squad and called on the players to raise their games.
Two Champions League losses to Real Madrid and Premier League defeats to Wolves and Brighton have made it a disappointing start for Lampard.
"I have a big link to this club and pride, and so should the players," Lampard said, when asked whether Chelsea's season was effectively over.
"If you want to take it down your route, it's over, but on my route it's absolutely not over.
"I don't have a mentality that there's nothing to play for. I was fortunate to be a part of teams that were challenging normally for stuff towards the end of the season, but that's not a given. It's important that if you have a long career you won't compete absolutely every season, it's not a given.
"It comes down to your personal pride, responsibility, wearing the shirt. We've got seven games, four against the top four, three away from home.
"The run-in's really tough, there's no doubt about that. There's always something on those games. I understand that and the players have to understand that."
Liverpool are set for a busy off-season with suggestions that Jurgen Klopp and the club's management want a squad overhaul.
Among the key areas to address is their midfield options, leading to links to numerous players.
It was reported last week Liverpool have pulled out of the race for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.
TOP STORY – REDS TO RAMP UP MOUNT INTEREST
Liverpool will ramp up their efforts to sign Mason Mount, amid a lack of a breakthrough in negotiations between the midfielder and Chelsea, reports The Guardian.
The Reds have now moved on from Bellingham given Dortmund's asking price, with Mount in their sights given he is out of contract at the end of this season.
Mount has offered no signs that he will extend his Chelsea deal, with Liverpool eager to capitalise and lure the 24-year-old England international to Anfield.
ROUND-UP
- Chelsea could look to join the race alongside Real Madrid for Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez, according to Fichajes. Alvarez is reportedly unhappy with his lack of game-time on the pitch at City.
- Manchester City are interested in an off-season move for Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies along with Real Madrid, reports Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg. Davies' contract runs until 2024 and he has held talks with Bayern on a new deal.
- Man City are also willing to let defender Aymeric Laporte exit in the off-season if he pushes for a move, claims the Daily Mail. Laporte, who is contracted until 2025, has fallen out of favour at City.
- 90min reports Arsenal are tracking Borussia Monchengladbach's Florian Neuhaus, who is contracted until 2024.
- Sport Witness claims Inter's Joaquin Correa has interest from Premier League trio Aston Villa, Everton and West Ham.
- Ex-Tottenham boss Antonio Conte will take over at Roma next season, with Jose Mourinho tipped to move to Paris Saint-Germain, per Calciomercato.
Real Madrid are eager to rejuvenate their squad for coming seasons with investment set to come in the off season.
Los Blancos are set to finish second in the LaLiga title race to Barcelona who hold an 11-point lead with nine games to play.
The depth of the reigning European champions, who are in this season's quarter-finals, has been tested at times this term.
TOP STORY – MADRID BOSS TO SWOOP ON CHELSEA TALENT
Fichajes claims Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has identified Chelsea quartet Reece James, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic as potential targets.
The latter three are all out of contract in 2024, meaning Los Blancos could sign them for free if they do not re-sign.
Perez is plotting to capitalise on Chelsea's downfall this term, with the club to miss next season's Champions League.
Kovacic previously spent three seasons at Santiago Bernabeu, while Mount has attracted interest from several top clubs given his quality and contract status.
ROUND-UP
– Lionel Messi wants to return to Barcelona when his Paris Saint-Germain contract expire at the end of this season, reports Fichajes. Messi will overlook offers from Saudi Arabia and MLS club Inter Miami to return to his former club.
– Manchester United are in pole position to sign French defender Axel Disasi from Monaco in the off season, claims Football Insider. Disasi is out of contract in 2025, with Chelsea and Manchester City also said to be interested.
– Liverpool have turned to Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch as an alternative to Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, claims The Times.
– Calciomercatoweb claims Arsenal are still in the race to sign Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, despite stiff competition from Madrid and PSG .
– Toni Kroos is set to accept a contract extension offer from Madrid and re-commit to the club for another 12 months, reports Marca.
– Chelsea have met with ex-Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann as they look for their next permanent manager, according to The Times.
Frank Lampard jumped to Mason Mount's defence, insisting the Chelsea midfielder is "already a top player" despite a frustrating season.
The England international enjoyed a thoroughly productive 2021-22 campaign with the Blues, scoring 13 goals and providing 16 assists under Thomas Tuchel.
However, inconsistent form and injury problems have prevented the 24-year-old kicking on this term, netting just three times while registering six assists in 33 appearances.
But Lampard is fully behind Mount, who he took on loan to Derby County during the 2018-19 season before handing his Chelsea debut the following campaign.
And the Blues' caretaker boss cannot understand the criticism aimed at the academy graduate.
"I'm not going to tell anyone about what opinion they should have on football," Lampard said ahead of Chelsea's Premier League clash with Brighton and Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge.
"But if anyone thinks Mason Mount is not already a top-level player then I'm not sure what they're seeing in my opinion.
"Form is one thing people can debate. These players are getting debated more with social media than they did in my career.
"But from working with Mason - you can ask myself, Thomas Tuchel, Gareth Southgate and Graham Potter - he's clearly a top player."
Lampard added: "He's had his comeback from a small injury problem. It may be a little process over the next game or two to get Mason where we really want him to be, but he's a top player and has a big affiliation with the club.
"One thing I know about Mason is that a top player should have a real hunger to succeed and do well for Chelsea. He's had that since the first day I took him to Derby.
"It's simple for me. He's still a young player. He'll go even further, but he's already a top player."
Borussia Dortmund's England international midfielder Jude Bellingham is expected to be the topic of widespread speculation in the next transfer window.
Several top clubs are circling to sign the 19-year-old, with Dortmund slapping a staggering £130million transfer fee on him as their asking price.
Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool have all been linked with Bellingham, who is contracted to the German side until 2025.
TOP STORY – REDS PULL OUT OF BELLINGHAM RACE
Liverpool have withdrawn from the race to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, according to The Athletic.
The Reds had previously made him their number one priority signing but have now opted out of the race given the price tag and impact that would have on their off-season transfer budget.
Football.London claims Liverpool will instead turn their attention to Chelsea's Mason Mount as a priority midfield target.
Other potential targets mentioned by The Athletic are Brighton and Hove Albion pair Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister along with Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch.
ROUND-UP
– Real Madrid are pondering a free transfer move for Liverpool's Roberto Firmino, according to El Nacional. The Brazilian will depart Anfield when his contract expires at the end of this season.
– Marca claims Madrid are also interested in Villarreal's Samuel Chukwueze, who netted twice against Los Blancos on Saturday. The Nigerian is contracted until 2024 and has a €100m buyout clause on the deal, although Villarreal may reportedly be willing to accept around half of that at the end of this term.
– Bayern Munich have come into the picture to sign Napoli forward Victor Osimhen with the German champions weighing up a bid for the Nigerian, reports Sky Germany.
– Football Insider reports Brighton and Hove Albion are willing to accept a £80m bid from Manchester United for midfielder Caicedo, who penned a new long-term deal until 2027 in March following January interest from Arsenal.
– AS claims Chelsea have held talks with Barcelona midfielder Gavi's agent to discuss a potential free transfer to the Blues in the off-season.
N'Golo Kante was omitted as Frank Lampard named his first starting line-up since returning to Chelsea as caretaker manager, with the midfielder rested ahead of the Blues' Champions League trip to Real Madrid.
Lampard opted to make two changes to Chelsea's side for Saturday's Premier League trip to Wolves, introducing England internationals Raheem Sterling and Conor Gallagher.
With Chelsea reverting to a back four after Bruno Saltor used a 3-5-2 system in Tuesday's goalless draw with Liverpool, Ben Chilwell was dropped to the bench and Kante was absent entirely.
Kante made his first Premier League start since last August against Liverpool, having missed the majority of the campaign with a hamstring injury.
However, Lampard played down any concerns regarding Kante's condition before kick-off, telling Sky Sports: "There's no worries with N'Golo. We're fine with him and managing him through.
"He's been out for a long time so we have a way of managing him. I was aware of that when I was at the club before.
"Then there are a couple of other selection issues, some small concerns, so we have to protect a couple of the players in the squad."
Mason Mount was also absent for the Blues, with reports suggesting the midfielder suffered a recurrence of a previous injury in training on Friday.
The Athletic reported Mount – who has been linked with a move away after failing to agree a new contract with the Blues – could also miss the first leg of Chelsea's quarter-final tie with Madrid.
Chelsea travel to the Santiago Bernabeu to face Carlo Ancelotti's European champions on Wednesday, before welcoming Los Blancos to Stamford Bridge six days later.
Frank Lampard is back at Chelsea.
The club's record goalscorer and former boss has taken on an interim position in the dugout until the end of the season, when Chelsea will bring in their long-term choice.
Of course, should Lampard do well enough, he could put his own name into consideration, but either way he still has plenty to do over the next two months.
Graham Potter was hired to give the team an identity, but Lampard will have no such responsibility given his short-term deal and the fact that someone like Julian Nagelsmann or Luis Enrique would bring their own ideas should they ultimately be hired ahead of next season.
Lampard was sacked by Chelsea in January 2021, before suffering the same demise at Everton two years later, but his continued legendary status at Stamford Bridge has secured him another lucrative opportunity to lead them.
Stats Perform has taken a look at five areas where the former West Ham and Manchester City midfielder will need to thrive to improve the club, as well as his own chances of finding a long-term gig beyond this one.
Find a way to score goals again
To say that Chelsea have been goal-shy this season is somewhat of an understatement.
Following their 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Tuesday, the Blues have scored 29 goals in 29 Premier League games this season, only ever netting fewer at this stage of a league campaign twice before (23 in 1921-22 and 16 in 1923-24).
During his 57 Premier League games in charge of Chelsea between August 2019 and January 2021, Lampard's team scored 102 goals.
They also had a shot conversion rate of 11.5 per cent, compared to their remarkably profligate 7.9 per cent this season.
Potter's issue was that he generally played without a striker and his midfielder's didn't score enough. If there is anyone who can teach midfielders to score goals, you would think it's Lampard, who hit 211 of his own during his playing days at Chelsea.
Get the old Mount back
It appears to be a widely held belief that Mason Mount enjoyed the best spell of his Chelsea career under Lampard.
He actually produced more under Thomas Tuchel, with 38 goal involvements (19 goals, 19 assists) in 86 games, compared to his 21 (11 goals, 10 assists) in 80 games under Lampard.
Mount was given his initial opportunity by Lampard though, and certainly developed and learned impressively in the first season and a half of his time in the Chelsea first-team.
The England international has struggled this season though, with just three goals and three assists from 32 games, and he has even been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool or Manchester United with his contract situation still up in the air.
If he can get his groove back at Stamford Bridge under Lampard though, maybe it can lead to a renaissance for Mount at the club.
Qualify for Europe
With nine games remaining in the Premier League, Chelsea sit in 11th place, five points behind seventh place Aston Villa, and 14 off the top four, meaning they are closer to the relegation zone (12 points) than Champions League qualification.
The table has been a strange place this season, so it is not beyond the realms of possibility that a few wins can catapult a team up several places.
While a top four finish is almost certainly beyond them, Chelsea could still at least keep themselves in European competition with a few victories.
Europa League successes in 2013 and 2019 laid foundations for bigger achievements, and in a season that has seen so few positives on the pitch, it would be a notable tick in the box should Lampard secure a place in Europe.
Overcome a familiar face
While they probably won't be in the competition next season, Chelsea remain in this season's Champions League, though with a daunting quarter-final against defending champions Real Madrid on the horizon.
The first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu will be Lampard's second game in charge, and Chelsea gave Los Blancos quite a scare when they went 3-0 up there in last season's final eight second leg.
Madrid ultimately won on aggregate after extra-time, but really struggled to deal with the Blues' approach, albeit with the tactical acumen of Tuchel directing them.
Lampard played under Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea, and so could perhaps have one or two insights into how to get the better of him.
He might not be feeling too confident after seeing what Madrid recently did to Liverpool and Barcelona, though.
Set the table for successor
It might not be what Lampard envisioned his role at Chelsea ultimately being when he was initially hired in 2019, but the opportunity to help the club in the interim also means preparing the team for the next boss, whoever that may be.
As mentioned, he could even fancy himself to convince Todd Boehly to give him a longer chance, but either way, he will be tasked with making sure the team goes into next season with more optimism than they have now.
With so many new arrivals in the last two transfer windows, giving Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke more chances to shine will be key, while Joao Felix could learn plenty from him should he eventually make his loan move from Atletico Madrid permanent.
At the very least, it is likely having Lampard back at the helm will appease the fans, and having a better atmosphere will hopefully be a springboard for anyone to hit the ground running next season, when significant improvement will be an absolute must.
Liverpool are reportedly no longer pursuing Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes and will instead pivot to Brighton and Hove Albion young gun Moises Caicedo or Chelsea and England talent Mason Mount.
The decision to turn their attention away from Nunes comes after Wolves removed a release clause in his contract that would have made him available for £44million in the upcoming transfer window, according to The Mirror.
The report states Wolves will still entertain the possibility of selling Nunes, but will now demand at least £50m for the player they paid £38m for in an August transfer from Sporting CP.
TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL TURN TO CAICEDO, MOUNT AFTER NUNES REVELATION
With Nunes out of the equation, The Mirror is reporting Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham remains the top priority, but Liverpool will investigate more "realistic" moves for Caicedo or Mount.
Caicedo, 21, signed a new contract with Brighton after the club turned down a £70m offer from Arsenal in January, but according to Football Insider the Seagulls were primarily against letting a top talent leave mid-season and will be far more open to discussions in the off-season.
Mount, 24, now has 15 months remaining on his Chelsea contract and has shown no signs of signing an extension, making him a prime candidate to leave the club in an effort to balance their books after lavish spending in the past 12 months.
ROUND-UP
– The Daily Mail is reporting Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham are among a host of clubs with interest in the £40million (€45.6m) release clause of 26-year-old Napoli centre-back Kim Min-jae, who would prefer a Premier League move if he is to leave Serie A.
– According to Fabrizio Romano, Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal have made an official offer to impending free agent Lionel Messi that would pay him £350m per year.
– Lazio are trying to convince star 28-year-old midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to sign a new two-year extension to repel interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Juventus, United and Chelsea, per Football Italia.
– Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg is reporting RB Leipzig and Inter are both pushing to sign breakout 23-year-old Tigre striker Mateo Retegui after the Argentine-born talent made his international debut for Italy recently.
– According to Mundo Deportivo, Atletico Madrid have offered 30-year-old striker Alvaro Morata a contract extension as he prepares to enter the final year of his current deal, although the club are willing to sell him if he would prefer a new challenge.
Josko Gvardiol won plenty of admirers during Croatia's run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals.
The 21-year-old central defender is contracted until 2027, but has a hefty release clause that will become active in 2024.
As a result, clubs are likely to be competing to secure the Croatian's services in the next transfer window.
TOP STORY – CITY AND REAL PRIORITISE GVARDIOL SIGNING
Manchester City and Real Madrid have both made RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol their priority centre-back target for the next transfer window, according to 90min.
The report claims Leipzig wants £75m (€85m) for the Croatian defender, who almost joined Chelsea last off-season.
City and Real are also both in contention to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, complicating the Gvardiol move.
The report also claims City are willing to offload Aymeric Laporte to help facilitate any move.
ROUND-UP
– Liverpool are the favourites ahead of Manchester City in the race to sign Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount in the off-season, reports Football Insider.
– Manchester United are keeping an eye on Joao Felix 's situation with the Atletico Madrid forward currently on loan at Chelsea, claims Mundo Deportivo. Chelsea have been linked with a permanent deal for the Portuguese.
– The Sun claims Leicester City are keen on re-signing Harry Maguire on loan from Manchester United amid talk he will exit Old Trafford.
– Arsenal 's desire to land Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus could see the Gunners offer up Granit Xhaka and Nicolas Pepe as part of a deal, reports Calciomercatoweb.
– Fichajes claims Manchester City and Chelsea will battle it out to sign Milan full-back Theo Hernandez.
– Barcelona have prioritised a move for Liverpool winger Luis Diaz in the next transfer window, according to Fichajes.
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