Mason Mount and Manchester United felt like an awkward match right from the very beginning. The decision to invest £60 million ($75m) in a once-beloved Chelsea academy graduate coming off statistically his worst-ever season for the Blues raised more than a few eyebrows. It wasn't clear how he would slot into Erik ten Hag's line up either, and the Dutchman's vague attempt to explain his vision for the midfielder did little to ease concerns.
"When you're playing in midfield, you have to attack, but you also you have to defend," the United boss said after Mount's unveiling. "I'm sure he will bring dynamism into our game and that was one of our analysis conclusions we made after last season. We need [to be] more dynamic in the midfield department."
Suffice it to say, Mount did not have that desired impact. In fact, United's midfield became a laughing stock. The combination of a half-hearted high press and deep defensive line left a gaping hole in the middle of the pitch, which opposing teams were able to exploit with ease.
The Red Devils plummeted to eighth in the Premier League - their worst-ever finish - and not even the joy of an unlikely run to FA Cup glory could paper over the cracks. Mount was made one of the scapegoats, because United really should have spent that £60m on a top-class holding midfielder instead.
But he was not directly to blame for the unmitigated disaster that was United's 2023-24 campaign, as rotten luck led to Mount being reduced to little more than a spectator. Now, with preparations for the new season well underway, the 25-year-old is back in top physical condition, and he will get another chance. It will just be a question of whether Mount can prove he does fit into a team that still doesn't seem to require his services.