Chelsea set asking price for Man Utd target Mason Mount

Chelsea will demand £70m to part ways with Mason Mount this summer amid interest from Manchester United, according to reports.

Mount will enter the final 12 months of his Chelsea contract this summer and has so far declined to sign an extension, despite new manager Mauricio Pochettino’s desire to work with the England international.

Chelsea officials have made it clear to Mount that they are prepared to sell him this summer if he does not extend, but sources have confirmed to 90min that the Blues are not prepared to be pressured into lowering their demands.

A value of £70m has been placed on Mount’s head and Chelsea have made it clear they will not sell the 24-year-old if their asking price is not met.

That could be bad news for suitors Man Utd, who are keen to land Mount this summer but are currently not willing to offer any higher than £50m for his services, given his expiring contract and their need to invest in other areas of the squad.

Chelsea have not yet given up hope of extending Mount’s contract and are willing to sit down once again to try and thrash out an agreement, but no further progress has been made at this point.

Any developments will be watched keenly by United, who believe Chelsea could lower their asking price as the summer progresses if they fail to convince Mount to put pen to paper.

Pochettino, who made a successful return to management in England with a victory at the helm of the World XI in Sunday’s Soccer Aid charity event, wants to keep Mount next season but faces an anxious wait to see whether he will get his wish.

Bolstering in midfield remains a key priority for Chelsea even if Mount does stay at the club and Blues officials have not yet ruled out pursuing both Brighton’s Moises Caicedo and West Ham’s Declan Rice.

There are also hopes to bolster in attack, where Inter’s Lautaro Martinez has been added to a shortlist which also includes Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund.