- Lampard backs Mount's move
- Manager hoped midfielder would stay
- Believes contract situation contributed to exit
WHAT HAPPENED? The Chelsea academy product has joined the Red Devils in a £60 million ($76m) move from Stamford Bridge. Lampard, who played a pivotal role in Mount's development at both Derby County and Chelsea, believes that the move to United presents a great opportunity for the 24-year-old midfielder to shine in his career.
WHAT THEY SAID: "I think it’s a great signing. It’s a complicated one and in the end, he’s got a year left on his contract [with Chelsea]. So in terms of what he’ll bring to Manchester United, it won’t just be what Mason brings, he will bring loads of talent, but he’s just going to go [up] and [raise] levels. Don’t get me wrong, the bar raise is already there with Bruno Fernandes, [Marcus] Rashford, Casemiro… he will absolutely fit in with it.
‘If you’re trying to build, a group mentality of a team, players who are just going to give everything with their talent, he fits it. I’ve seen alternative reaction to what, ‘why would you pay that for him?’, Mason Mount is going to be a fantastic player there, in my opinion," he told The Diary of a CEO podcast.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Lampard believed that Mount would have liked to continue with Chelsea and insisted that the Blues still have a place in his heart.
"I think probably Mason would have envisaged two years ago that he would stay at Chelsea for a lot of his career. I just think circumstances, his contract situation, I know he’s got a big love for Chelsea," he added. "Also in the modern day, I think more than even in my day, players do move, and I don’t think the challenge of moving now it’s come to that, for Mason personally, it’s a good challenge for him, I would’ve liked to have seen him stay at Chelsea because I think he would’ve been central to it but it didn’t happen."
IN TWO PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT? After featuring in Manchester United's first pre-season friendly against Leeds United, Mount will hope to start against Lyon on July 19.