Michael Carrick views Mason Mount as a valuable squad player and has no intention of selling him, contrary to suggestions from Gary Neville. The Manchester United midfielder has struggled since his move from Chelsea, scoring just seven goals in 72 appearances, but Carrick believes his versatility will be crucial as the club competes in four competitions next season.
Mount has made only seven appearances under Carrick, totalling 200 minutes, due to fitness issues and selection dilemmas. However, with United securing Champions League qualification, the manager plans to rotate his squad more, giving Mount opportunities to prove his worth.
Gary Neville had previously identified Mount as surplus to requirements, suggesting United could 'trade him in' to generate transfer funds. Speaking on his Sky Sports podcast after United's win over Liverpool, Neville said the club needs two new midfielders and a left-back, and that Mount could be sacrificed for a more flexible player.
Despite this, Carrick remains keen to keep Mount, who has shown glimpses of form under previous coach Ruben Amorim. The club is prioritising signing two starting-calibre midfielders this summer, with targets including Elliot Anderson, Ederson, Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba and Sandro Tonali.
Several players are expected to leave, including Manuel Ugarte, Andre Onana, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, but Mount appears set to stay. Carrick's first permanent match in charge ended with a 3-0 victory at Brighton, and he is now focused on building a squad capable of challenging on multiple fronts.
