Adrian Clarke looks at summer signings and what impact they will have at their new clubs.
Player analysis: Mason Mount (MUN)
Playing for Manchester United under Erik ten Hag feels like a fresh challenge that can revitalise Mount in 2023/24.
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Like many of his Chelsea team-mates last season, Mount was below par. He featured for only 48.5 per cent of available Premier League minutes.
Lacking regular match time, his confidence dropped, and he produced only five direct goal involvements.
The drop-off was stark compared to 2021/22, when Mount reached double figures for both goals and assists, with 11 and 10 respectively.
Pressing matters
Ten Hag is still in the process of implementing his preferred tactical style, and Mount's addition points towards a shift in United's off-the-ball approach.
The attacking midfielder is a tireless runner who has revelled in the responsibility of triggering a co-ordinated press for both club and country.
Out of possession, Mount likes to pressure opposition defenders and his presence as either a No 10, a box-to-box midfielder or an inverted wide forward will increase United's effectiveness as a pressing outfit.
They showed signs of improvement in this area during the second half of the season, but Ten Hag wants his side to defend with even greater aggression inside the opposition half.
Bruno Fernandes is the only United player from last season to have made as many pressures per 90 minutes as Mount.
And Mount's England team-mate Marcus Rashford is the lone member of Ten Hag’s squad to have averaged more sprints per 90 last season.
Mount will add vibrancy and a tigerish work ethic.
Mount v Man Utd's top men 22/23
| Sprints/90 | Pressures/90 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rashford | 20.26 | Fernandes | 24.98 |
| Mount | 19.35 | Mount | 24.02 |
From the start of the 2019/20 season until the end of 2021/22, Mount was one of the division’s most consistent attacking midfielders.
Bursting into the box from deep, taking regular shots on goal and creating plenty of chances for others, his offensive output was impressive.
Mount's attacking stats last three seasons
| 19/20 | 20/21 | 21/22 | 22/23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goals | 7 | 6 | 11 | 3 |
| xG/90* | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.30 | 0.11 |
| Shots in box/90 | 1.13 | 1.12 | 1.83 | 1.03 |
| Shots/90 | 2.44 | 2.55 | 2.89 | 1.79 |
| Assists | 5 | 5 | 10 | 2 |
| Open-play chances created/90 | 0.88 | 1.43 | 1.52 | 1.14 |
*xG = Expected Goals
Excited by a new challenge and the prospect of combining with players such as Rashford, Fernandes and Christian Eriksen, Mount can regain his outstanding form again.
Still only 24, there is plenty of time and scope for Mount to develop his game further under Ten Hag's guidance.
Having plenty of both Premier League and UEFA Champions League experience, he could quickly become one of the leaders inside United’s dressing room.
Mount’s capabilities are reflected in the following graphic that appears on the Opta Analyst website.
Over a two-season period between 2020/21 and 2021/22, Mount's non-penalty Expected Goal Involvements ranked fifth in the division, behind a quartet of exceptional creative talents.
At his best Mount is a top-class, well-rounded attacking midfielder who has the quality on and off the ball to improve United’s starting XI.
It will be fascinating to see how he fits in at Old Trafford this season.
