Man Utd feel sorry for priority summer target Mason Mount but are prepared to walk away from talks over the Chelsea midfielder in favour of a ‘dream’ move.
Mount has been identified by Erik ten Hag as part of a midfield overhaul, with Man Utd adhering to their manager’s wishes and pursuing the Chelsea stalwart.
But after having a third bid rejected for the England international, the Red Devils are prepared to walk away from talks.
Chelsea have turned down bids of £40m, £50m and £55m, all including add-ons, while bringing their initial valuation of £70m down to £65m.
But in the knowledge that Mount has one year remaining on his contract at Stamford Bridge, with negotiations over an extension long since abandoned, Man Utd feel the demands are getting out of hand.
READ MORE: Man Utd are not serious people if they entertain Chelsea’s Mount counter
They will subsequently move onto other targets until and unless Chelsea ‘compromise’, with The Times reporting that ‘there is sympathy at Old Trafford’ over the predicament of Mount, considering Man Utd and the 24-year-old have agreed personal terms over a move which ‘unrealistic’ demands have scuppered.
A deal for Moises Caicedo could be resurrected after Man Utd have tried numerous times to sign the Ecuadorean midfielder.
They were one of a few Premier League clubs who explored a move for Caicedo when the player was at Independiente del Valle, before being ultimately ‘put off’ by hidden fees.
Caicedo instead joined Brighton in February 2021 and broke into the Seagulls’ first team a year later, leading to Man Utd rekindling their interest in summer 2022.
But after again deeming the costs too prohibitive, they looked elsewhere and left Chelsea as the frontrunners to sign the 21-year-old.
READ MORE: Liverpool take £35m Caicedo shortcut to leave Manchester United even deeper in the transfer mud
In a particular twist of fate, it is the Blues’ lack of flexibility in talks over Mount that leads Man Utd to focusing on Caicedo, with The Times saying Ten Hag’s side are ‘preparing a bid’ for a player valued anywhere between £80m and £100m.
While that represents a far costlier deal than the one for Mount, Man Utd will ‘take into account’ Caicedo is three years younger and has a ‘radically different contract situation’.
Brighton tied the midfielder down to a four-year contract in March after a planned move to Arsenal did not come to fruition, meaning the Seagulls are in complete control of the situation.
Ten Hag is ‘on board with the decision to switch midfield targets’ for a player who ‘offers more positional flexibility’, so Man Utd will ‘intensify efforts to explore a deal’.
Caicedo may welcome these developments, having previously said: “My dream is to play for Manchester United. Antonio Valencia is an example to follow. With his strength and dedication, he was able to get to that level. That motivates me to keep working hard and do the right things.”
It should probably be mentioned he also named Real Madrid as his “dream” club earlier this year, while pushing to join Arsenal and agreeing personal terms with Chelsea.