Manchester, May 19: Mason Mount joined Manchester United as a rising star of English soccer. He was handed Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic jersey and was expected to be part of a bold rebuild of one of the biggest franchises in sport.
Then things went badly wrong.
“It has been difficult, but I have learned a lot from these moments,” said Mount ahead of United’s Europa League final against Tottenham in Bilbao on Wednesday.
A slew of injuries of injuries has limited the midfielder to just 12 Premier League starts in two seasons since his $69 million move from Chelsea in 2023.
In that time he’s had to watch on as United’s onfield decline has continued at an alarming rate, with the 20-time English champion certain to end this season with its lowest points total and league position in the Premier League era.
The Europa League, however, presents an unlikely chance to salvage a historically bad campaign with a major trophy and entry into next season’s Champions League.
For Mount, who has returned to fitness and form in recent weeks, it is the sort of opportunity he has craved after two years of pain and frustration at Old Trafford.
For United, it is simply a lifeline.
“As a group, we know the situation we are in. We know the league is not good enough and we have not been good enough in that, but the Europa League is something that we look forward to as a final,” Mount said. “We won’t forget about what we have done in the league and our league form.
“This is a final. If we can win it, it can be a positive end to a tough season.” ComebackThe final is reward for the long hours of rehab work the 26-year-old Mount has put in at United’s Carrington training base to overcome a succession of setbacks including calf and hamstring injuries.
He has made only nine starts across all competitions this season, with three of those coming this month.
“It is not always easy. I have had many days at Carrington sitting on the treatment bed where I want to be training.” he said. “I have been in the stand watching games where I want to be playing.“I give everything to continue my rehab to try to get back and be back as quickly as possible. That was always on my mind.” StrugglesMount’s difficulties at United have been in stark contrast to his time at Chelsea, where he was treated as a hero after rising through its academy and providing the assist for Kai Havertz’s winning goal in the Champions League final of 2021.He became a key part of England’s squad, which was runner up at the Euros that year, and started the final against Italy at Wembley.
It was a measure of how highly United regarded Mount that he was handed the No7 jersey worn by club greats Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Ronaldo. (AP)
