Mason Mount set for England return? Man Utd star reveals 'catch-up' call from ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel

Mount and Tuchel shared a memorable Champions League triumph in 2021, with the midfielderassisting Kai Havertz’s decisive goal in Chelsea’s final win over Manchester City. That moment remains a career highlight for the player, but Tuchel has made it clear that past achievements won’t guarantee future international selection.

Mount hasn’t worn an England shirt since the World Cup quarter-final loss to France in December 2022, a match in which he won a crucial penalty late on, only for Harry Kane to send it over the bar. Since then, a series of injuries have disrupted his form and making it difficult to earn another international cap.

"He called me and he said that he's calling a lot of players and just wanted to catch up," Mount revealed.

"I don't know how many players he probably called, 40 or 50 maybe. But it was good to see his face, good to catch up with him and good to speak to him. I played quite a bit under him. We won the Champions League, so that's a positive. But I think with England it's totally different now; the competition for places, the amount of people he can pick, it's a bit different than club football. So I don't think it goes hand in hand.

"He said to me, 'there's no guarantees, even though you played for me'. But it gives you more. You want to push even more to be able to be back in the squad. So it was really good to speak to him and see what he’s preparing. He looked very excited and had loads of energy, like I remember, and was bang up for the new role."

Now 26, Mount is hoping a return to fitness and form at club level will put him back on the radar for England.

"Of course, as a player, you always want to play for your country and that's such a big honour," he added. "Any opportunity that you get to put that shirt on is amazing. I have 36 appearances for England, so I know what it means to be able to play for your country. I'd love to have that opportunity again but I'm focusing on club football first. So I’m looking at that first for sure and see what happens at the end of the season."

England’s next fixtures are set for early September, with back-to-back World Cup qualifying matches against Andorra and Serbia. While Mount's name isn’t guaranteed to be on the team sheet or even in the squad, his conversation with Tuchel suggests he’s at least in consideration for a return.